Writer: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Director: Marc Webb
Director of Photography: Eric Steelberg
Composer: Michael Danna, Rob Simonsen
Editor: Alan Edward Bell
Lead Actor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel
Year: 2009
Where shall I begin. There may be more to the “Summer affect” than what meets the eye. The way this film is put together and the way the issues are handled make it not your average rom com.
Tom Hanson is an average guy working at a fluffy greeting card company. Summer Fin is an average girl who shows up to the same place as the secretary. Tom is drawn to Summer at first meeting and they soon find they are alike in many ways…except in one: Tom believes in true love and Summer thinks the whole thing is a myth.
But they still like each other and Tom ultimately has to go along with Summer's desire to "just be friends". He finds it difficult to reconcile that status with his feelings, yet he enjoys every minute of their "friendship". Until Summer begins to doubt their intentions. She feels the relationship is going to far and calls it off. This devastates Tom, even though Summer made it clear in the beginning that she didn't want anything serious.
Then there seems to be a glimmer of hope, only to be completely extinguished in a few short minutes. Ironically, this leaves Tom in the shoes Summer wore at the beginning, believing the whole thing is a joke. Indeed, the two seem to have completely switched places. Although not in the way Tom wished, Summer has found that you know it when you feel it, the thing Tom tried to convince her of at the beginning. From the message of this movie, it seems it's not about "convincing".
I think it goes to show why it is ‘experimental relationships’ can lead to messed up expectations and hearts. For one thing, is it only ‘compatibility’ that warrants a serious relationship? And then, even if we know going in that “it’s just for fun”, is that how humans work? Maybe the message of this is don’t fall for your first attraction? :P
Zooey’s eyes are about as expressive as Joseph’s eyes are not. Blue eyes, white teeth, squinty smile, and heart-shaped birthmark she’s a great candidate for our female icon, if you will (should I mention the fact that she’s 30? Nah). While Joseph is portraying the infatuated and sometimes awkward young man who is not quite as expressive, although we do know when he’s not in a chipper mood. Then off course we have Tom’s friends who are just a hysterical hoot from day 1.
The way this film is put together really keeps one on their toes, which is really going to be required if you want to follow the storyline (usually that is the point of watching a film right?). Maybe it would be better called the storydashes. Instead of seeing things in a linear way, we are jolted all over the “500” days of this relationship. Backward and forward, up and down. There’s going to be no coffee breaks during the duration of this one. Yet it really is an interesting perspective to put it all in perspective, I think.
The end completely got me. I wasn’t expecting that little bit of dialog and it was a laugh out loud moment. No, I’m not going to say what it is. Only that no matter how bad some things look, seasons do change.
Caution should be taken as there are several more-than-suggestive moments in this film.
Director: Marc Webb
Director of Photography: Eric Steelberg
Composer: Michael Danna, Rob Simonsen
Editor: Alan Edward Bell
Lead Actor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel
Year: 2009
Where shall I begin. There may be more to the “Summer affect” than what meets the eye. The way this film is put together and the way the issues are handled make it not your average rom com.
Tom Hanson is an average guy working at a fluffy greeting card company. Summer Fin is an average girl who shows up to the same place as the secretary. Tom is drawn to Summer at first meeting and they soon find they are alike in many ways…except in one: Tom believes in true love and Summer thinks the whole thing is a myth.
But they still like each other and Tom ultimately has to go along with Summer's desire to "just be friends". He finds it difficult to reconcile that status with his feelings, yet he enjoys every minute of their "friendship". Until Summer begins to doubt their intentions. She feels the relationship is going to far and calls it off. This devastates Tom, even though Summer made it clear in the beginning that she didn't want anything serious.
Then there seems to be a glimmer of hope, only to be completely extinguished in a few short minutes. Ironically, this leaves Tom in the shoes Summer wore at the beginning, believing the whole thing is a joke. Indeed, the two seem to have completely switched places. Although not in the way Tom wished, Summer has found that you know it when you feel it, the thing Tom tried to convince her of at the beginning. From the message of this movie, it seems it's not about "convincing".
I think it goes to show why it is ‘experimental relationships’ can lead to messed up expectations and hearts. For one thing, is it only ‘compatibility’ that warrants a serious relationship? And then, even if we know going in that “it’s just for fun”, is that how humans work? Maybe the message of this is don’t fall for your first attraction? :PZooey’s eyes are about as expressive as Joseph’s eyes are not. Blue eyes, white teeth, squinty smile, and heart-shaped birthmark she’s a great candidate for our female icon, if you will (should I mention the fact that she’s 30? Nah). While Joseph is portraying the infatuated and sometimes awkward young man who is not quite as expressive, although we do know when he’s not in a chipper mood. Then off course we have Tom’s friends who are just a hysterical hoot from day 1.
The way this film is put together really keeps one on their toes, which is really going to be required if you want to follow the storyline (usually that is the point of watching a film right?). Maybe it would be better called the storydashes. Instead of seeing things in a linear way, we are jolted all over the “500” days of this relationship. Backward and forward, up and down. There’s going to be no coffee breaks during the duration of this one. Yet it really is an interesting perspective to put it all in perspective, I think.
The end completely got me. I wasn’t expecting that little bit of dialog and it was a laugh out loud moment. No, I’m not going to say what it is. Only that no matter how bad some things look, seasons do change.
Caution should be taken as there are several more-than-suggestive moments in this film.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment