AfroPixFlix:

Before seeing this, I got into an unwinnable debate with my adolescent niece over whether this qualified as a chick flick. My hypothesis was that there was nothing about it that would appeal to anyone out of my niece's female, 14-to-24 age group set. She begged to differ. So, as a scientifically acceptable control element, we dragged along her brother, a 14 year old male more inclined to check out the latest TRANSFORMERS flick. After seeing it, we all wound up agreeing that there are elements that can appeal to just about anyone. It is a relationship movie about a guy who falls in love with a woman who tells him from the start she was not looking for anything more than friendship. She is a romantically liberated female who has some magical attraction about her. The films THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT both came to mind, particularly the latter Spike Lee joint's creative camera work. We liked the way the film was not told chronologically, and I thought of the film MEMENTO and its scattered storyline. Anyway, between my furtive cat naps, I thought it was a good way to jumpstart a discussion of some transcendental issues, such as the importance of faithfulness, being aware of the wonderful people around you who you just may be taking for granted, and that perennial yarn of following your dreams. Great music. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon with your younger ones, although there's a heck of a lot of blue language and, ahem, "adult situations" you might have to redirect as a post-scientific study discussion.

gil 588096:

4.5 stars.(500 DAYS OF SUMMER) might be one of the best films I have seen that depicts life as life usually is - unpredictable. This witty, romantic comedy is beautifully controlled by Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing Tom. He plays the character Tom to perfection, mixing Tom's insecurities, self-consciousness, hopefulness, disappointments, and realizations in a tangible way. Zooey Deschanel is also well cast as Tom's girlfriend, Summer. This couple and their story are nicely supported by some great vintage musical numbers, original and creative (although quirky) screen techniques, a real true-to-life story, and a great supporting cast. Don't expect the expected, but do expect to fall in love with everyday guy, Tom, and perhaps even Summer. This is a sweet story that doesn't unrealistically overstate the feelings of romance and love. 01-17-10

Bunched Undies:

This cleverly constructed anti-romcom manages to be typically neat and tidy, yet surprisingly honest at the same time. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a fine job as our beleaguered hero, and manages to more than hold his own despite being cast opposite that irresistible black hole of quirkiness, Zooey Deschanel. The film recounts their 500 day relationship, frequently jumping back and forth in time, but through the use of an animated counter, we are able to easily follow the unfolding chain of small events. The couple initially bond over a shared appreciation of 80s alt-rock and, over the course of the film, we see the pendulum of their love affair swing from delirious joy to deep depression and all the steps in between. Despite frequent allusions to the film "The Graduate", the movie is actually more reminiscent of Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" - minus the wit. And here, a giddy trip to IKEA substitutes for Allen's famous lobster pot scene, but the sense of deepening intimacy through shared laughter is equally effective. Gordon-Levitt bears a striking resemblance to Heath Ledger, and in an odd and unintended way, that resemblance adds to the film's poignancy. But director Marc Webb (who has been signed to direct the new Spider-Man reboot) refreshingly resists the temptation of easy answers. There are no villains in this film - even Gordon-Levitt's shallow boss (well played by Clark Gregg) is treated with respect and dignity- and this helps to elevate the film beyond the tritely formulaic. "500 Days of Summer" is a welcome and entertaining anomaly, and a film that will give you a measure of hope. Not just for the notion of romance, but for mainstream American filmmaking as well. An interesting bit of trivia: the film's conclusion was shot in L.A.'s Bradbury Building, which you will recognize as the replicant hideout in the film "Blade Runner".

Jeremy Thomas:

The best romantic comedy of 2009 is not in fact a romantic comedy. Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter wrote a fantastic script that moves in a nonlinear format, jumping back and forth between days of the relationship between a romantic and his more cynical girlfriend. As the days shift forward and back like a dial, watching the saga unfold one feels somewhat like Cassandra, knowing what's going to happen but powerless to stop it. What makes the format work are the wonderful performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, who have a brilliant chemistry between them, and the solid direction on behalf of Mark Webb. Webb stages a musical number with pitch-perfect timing to draw delighted laughs from the audience and includes several other stylistic flairs that never get in the way of the story. Like a series of memories, this film is nostalgic and fun, heart-warming and bittersweet and not only the best romance film of the year, but one of the best films of 2009 period.

acb 1769037:

Under normal circumstances I might have reviewed this DVD, but when NF implemented the new DVD page detail design they removed friends' ratings, top 10 lists and the ability to send movie notes. That made it harder for me and others to find movies we'll like. If you are reading this, please call NetfIix and ask them to give us the community features back. I apologize for this non-review.

WideStance:

Though it's a lot more enjoyable than most crappy Hollywood romantic comedies, it's got lots of problems and isn't quite as good as it's being hyped up to be. I enjoyed Joseph Gordon-Levitt's solid performance as a lovestruck young hipster but found Zooey Deschanel as his would-be girlfriend Summer just cloying and ingratiating beyond belief. Her bangy mid-70s Linda Ronstadt look and squeaky Victoria Jackson voice only go so far and, after about 45 minutes of her aloof antics, I wondered why Levitt's character didn't call it quits after the first 100 or so days of Summer. Despite some great stuff like an instant-classic song and dance number to an awful old Hall and Oates song and a clever "expectation versus reality" split screen of events at a party, there's a lot that just doesn't work. All the Smiths references wore me out. Namechecking a band once or twice seems like good insight into the characters, but after a few dozen times it smacks of a hack screenwriter. Levitt's Apatowesque buddies, his life-coaching kid sister, some cringe-worthy schtick at an Ikea, and a let's pretend we have tourette's syndrome game that would have been better as a dvd 'deleted scene' extra also bugged me.

robowriter:

(500) Days of Summer is an absolutely sweet, quirky indie-style romantic comedy with lots of great laughs. I sat in an opening-weekend arthouse audience that peeled with laughter frequently. The story's premise might be called The Time Traveler's Girlfriend With Benefits because the narrative ricochets wildly across 500 days that encompass the quizzical romantic relationship between Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel). If you think a normal linear relationship has its ups and downs then try one examined through a timeline that zigs and zags back and forth in its exposition by one day to handfuls or dozens of days at a time. (No actual time travel is involved.) It's all good though and quite captivating. Zooey plays the same character that seems to be her stock in trade: the quirky, laissez-faire slacker girl who's too cute to ignore. She's so laidback you'd think she's medicated -- so it should come as no surprise to Tom that she's an I-can-take-you- or-leave-you kinda gal. He, on the other hand, has these bleary puppy-dog eyes that can show an impressive range of emotion. Frankly, it's not too clear to me whether he's interested in her because she's actually worth it or he just doesn't have other prospects. (I think she might be "worth it" but then he's no player. I'm just saying: Doesn't finding a keeper presume there were other choices?) Love doesn't need logic, of course -- in fact, sometimes it just kicks it to the curb and goes woo-hoo (or wants to) -- so this tale of Summer love makes a great postmodern (if one-sided) love story for the summer season (or any time of the year). Great soundtrack! 4.5 stars. (8-20-09)

Walt D in LV:

Excellent! Fun and different, it's not often little movies live up to the hype when mainstream America finds out about 'em. This one did. Funny from the opening credits. Like many stories about love, it's sweet and painful throughout. Joseph Gordon-Levitt seems to always be in these great independent films. How does he do it?! and Zooey Deschanel.. so cute and loveable. A quirky romantic comedy well worth seeing. 8/16/09

Peter Olafson:

Summer's a young woman, played brightly by Zooey Deschanel, and the 500 days an effective framework for the vignettes that cover the likable romance and its grim aftermath. These range from the creative (a rather Mad Magazine-like approach to a party) to the endearing to lightly funny to thoughtful realism. The last is where the movie distinguishes itself most. You'll see your reflection in here somewhere.

ElementaryWatson:

Having no idea what this movie was about, other than Zooey Deschanel was in it, I did not know what to expect. What I discovered was a remarkable performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ms. Deschanel and a story that perfectly captures unrequited love. It made me flashback to the girls I waited for who where never waiting for me. A good movie can sometimes tap into the past and make you reflect. This is a good movie!

Frank W:

Gimmicky storytelling methods aside, there are plenty of other things in the film that work to near perfection. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel worked previously in the indie drama Manic, but here their on-screen chemistry jumps off the screen and into our laps. From the moment Tom lays eyes on Summer in the cubicled office of the greeting card company where they both work, we know we're witnessing that ever-elusive magic that so many on-screen couples hope to channel, but so few do. And most importantly, the actors are successful in making us want their characters to be together.

ThaAnswerMD25:

Definitely a love story this generation can relate too. From the beginning and throughout their relationship it all feels familiar. I think everyone has either been in that situation or known a girl like Summer. Zooey (and the movie) are truly charming throughout most. Towards the end it falters a bit, but the last 3 minutes sealed it for me. Perfect ending to this movie!

Milkbone:

I loved this film, it's not a predictable romantic comedy, it's a funny yet somewhat depressing story about life and love. Towards the beginning you feel one way about a certain character, then 15-20 minutes later you hate them, you love them, you hate them again, etc. It does a good job placing you in the main character's shoes and i love that. If you're just off of a bad relationship or you're thinking about getting into one this would be the perfect film for you.

1d56bcdd85:

I like this movie more than I thought I would, though 3 stars is in the 'meh' category. Visually this movie is quite interesting. It has great scores and some genuine humor. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is great and Zooey Deschanel is still annoying.

late nights:

This was a very good movie about 1st true love and 1st true heart break. Everyone can relate to Tom and even Summer for that matter. Actually, if you know anyone suffering from a devasting heartbreak who thinks they were rejected from the "one and only" love of their life... have them watch this movie. They will cry and say ..."its me".. but at the end.. they will also say... with a smile... "this IS me"!

Stubbendeck:

For some reason it took me a while to warm up to giving this movie a chance. I'm glad I did. Excellent in every way. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are brilliant together and they enhance an already great script with their chemistry (or lack thereof). It's about love, luck, timing, hope and acceptance. The narrator gives you a warning up front, but in hindsight, you may agree to disagree.

mabell3368:

A delightful romantic comedy that diverges from the standard formula. Zooey Deschanel sparkles as the eponymous Summer, who has commitment issues. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is all grown up as Thomas, who believes he has found the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately, his Expectations run aground in the sea of Reality. The director, Marc Webb uses the well-worn non-linear sequence of events to tell the tale, and it works here. The dialog crackles and the laughs come thick and fast. The interactions between Thomas and his co-workers and with his friend, Paul, is hilarious. Another bright spot, although stretching credibility, was the wisdom of his younger sister, providing relationship advice. This viewer thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience and would gladly watch it again.

Cato the Younger:

From the point of view of a jaded male who inclines toward dark war and action movies and sees renting "relationship" movies as abjectly waving the white flag of surrender, I have to say that this one was at least tolerable and did not have intensely emetic properties. What you have here is an average guy in a dull job, bred on romantic pop-culture expectations, cruising at flank speed into an iceberg of unwelcome reality in the form of a noncommital female and sinking with no survivors. However, toward the end of the movie he adopts a new take-charge perspective and at once things start to improve. Happy ending, etc., etc., but with some excellent and practical advice for the misguided and confused lovelorn. This is not a particularly good date movie, trust me. But this is a really superb let's talk about breaking up / how do I put my shattered life back together movie, especially from a guy's point of view.

fuhr:

Funny, original, heartfelt and poignant. I know why this movie is on best of lists for 2009. Why GREAT movies like this get next to no push from studios while movie goers continue to flock to theaters to watch mindless, formulaic, dreck, will forever be lost on me.

CH 68463:

I enjoyed this movie. It was quite a bit like a real relationship. Just a warning though, I got the bluray and it was a special rental copy that did not include any special feature. Director and Actor commentary is missing. Bonus interviews are missing. Part of the reason I rent DVDs and Bluray is for the special features you dont get at a theater. And I watch so many movies I dont want to purchase every one. Youre failed business model is not my problem movie industry!

TK 1202117:

The movie was terrific, but the DVD (with the exception of trailers)had none of the extras advertised. Did I miss something?

i3oone:

A great "dramady" that is very unique in it's day and age. A movie that truly deserves the critics' praise.

Max Hops:

Very good anti romantic comedy. Summer treats Joe like a the Schlep that he is and Joe thinks he found his true love. Love is blind and Joe doesn't see what's happening until it's too late. It's great when he starts thinking back to all the little clues that he "overlooked" during the early part of their relationship for fear of seeing the truth.

ybemad:

I really liked this movie. I would watch it over and over again. In the beginning the narrator tells you this isn't your typical love story with a happy ending. Yet it isn't a cynical movie out to rob you of hope. It's a funny chronicling of how the need for love can blind someone to reality showing the highs and lows experienced during the course of a relationship in a very relatable way.

TJ229ER:

(500) Days of Summer is a great departure from the traditional romantic comedy. The movie has a quite a few great artistic scenes that are simply beautiful to watch. Joesph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel both flawlessly play their characters and are entirely convincing. (500) Days also has a great soundtrack.

psp 1933410:

This was an enjoyable, off-beat comedy. My wife and I both enjoy Zooey, but thought that Gigantic was a very similar, yet better movie. 500 Days also makes too much use of time-shifting, a trend that has exhausted itself as of late.

ivq 831971:

Its a bit unfair to call this a romantic comedy. There are certain conventions that basically all romantic comedies adhere to and this movie deviates quite a bit from those (which is good.) But it is romantic and it is a comedy, so whatever. And it plays both of those angles very well. Its genuinely charming and laugh out loud funny at times. The depiction of the relationship is intriguing and sincere, and I really liked that. My one big complaint is with the characters. Shes free-spirited and cute; he wears a hoodie and listens to the Smiths. These are fine foundations, but the film really could have done a lot more to make them unique and interesting. The quirky/nerdy/20-something is just too common an archetype these days to make for interesting characters without some other defining qualities. Summer and Tom seemed like spokespeople for Stuff White People Like. Deviating even a little from that mold would have gone a long way in making them deeper and more interesting. Despite the somewhat generic characters this movie is enjoyable and definitely worth checking out. Especially if youre a quirky, nerdy 20-something that likes the Smiths.

BlueVoid:

'500 Days of Summer' is a romantic comedy which breaks many of the normal conventions and delivers a more touching and funny film than most of the drivel that gets pumped out by studios these days. Right from the beginning, from the first scene, you know that this isn't going to be the standard fare. In many ways this is the anti-romantic comedy. It begins with the breakup and with a genius collection of mixed ordered scenes tells the story of the relationship leading up to that point. This is the films strength. Individual scenes are absolutely perfect and capture the essence of different phases in a relationship perfectly. The directing by Marc Webb is fantastic, putting a unique spin on each scene, elevating them from what could have been very average filler. Also propelling potentially average scenes is the acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Both of whom have been great in other movies, but really click together here creating a natural feeling chemistry. There are some cliched elements to the story which seemed even more glaring since the rest of the film felt so original. The know-it-all sister, the oddball friend, his job as a greeting card writer and his aspirations of being an architect all seemed to be completely generic, but because the rest works so well that these elements didn't bring it down. It manages to be completely honest and brutally frank, without creating a depressing feeling and succeeds at breaking out of a genre box to be fresh and endearing.

Supercords:

Cute, witty, with an utterly adorable Zoey Daschanel. Didn?t quite live up to all the praise that?s been lavished upon it, but enjoyable nonetheless. Rating: C+

Bawidget:

I saw this movie last night for the first time and it's already an instant classic for me. At the very start you're told that this is not a love story, but Deschanel and Gordon Levitt are so charming on screen that you really want them to end up together. Joseph Gordon Levitt really does an amazing job here and comes into his own as a leading man. The look of this movie adds to it's charm, with great architectural shots and incorporation of Tom's drawings into certain scenes. 5 stars for amazing performances, direction, cinemetography, and an amazing dance number.

DrakeScott:

The rare date movie about an essentially one-sided relationship that probably *won't* work, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER remains cohesive despite a nonlinear storyline and unnecessary - if only occasional - narration. Dewy-eyed romantics and those looking for big laughs may find this film lacking, but decent performances by Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt keep things tumultuously laboring toward a conclusion desperate to combat the random hopelessness of love.

simplygreg:

Finally a love story for the rest of us, with its mess and pain and hope and uncertainty. The filmmaker cuts the heartbreak with a beautiful whimsy that is fun and necessary. This is the anti-romantic comedy. Nothing is cleanly cut, or understood. There are no soaring french horns and violins in the 3rd act. There are The Smiths and Hall & Oates, and any film that combines that delightful musical vinaigrette deserves some attention.

Larry McG:

This is a fantastic film that succeeds in every single way. The structure is really interesting. It follows 500 days of their relationship, but keeps shifting back and forth to different days within that 500, mixing happy moments with sad ones. And there is plenty of both in this bittersweet film. There are numerous laugh out loud comic moments, including a hilarious dance sequence performed to Hall & Oates' "You Make My Dreams". Levitt (who is building a nice movie resume) is completely winning as the everyman who is hopelessly in love with a girl that says she doesn't want commitment, and Deschanel gets one of her best roles to date. Her stunning screen presence is a given but the offbeat personality that Deschanel injects makes the character even more appealing. The narrator warns at the beginning that this is not a love story, but I would argue that it is actually one of the most truthful love stories ever made.

Racer2829:

What a great film! 500 Days of Summer is a great romantic/comedy. A movie that pulls you in fast and keeps you entertained. The acting is some of the best out there. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is unmatched in acting talent. Marc Webb did a superb job with this excellent movie. Even with it switching days on you, it never gets confusing. A must see summer flick.

raghus:

A fairly watchable movie but when all was said and done, it wasn't all that memorable. Zooey Deschanel plays her role really well and is definitely the best part of this movie.

Humbeethecritic:

One of the best movies Ive seen this year. It's not your typical romcom, instead here we start with the breakup and work backwards at random. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tom, a hopeless romantic who falls for a new girl, summer, played by Zooey Deschanel. The movie takes you on a journey through him meeting her and first asking her out, all the way to those awful words just want to be friends. I enjoyed this because it was such a fresh departure from most comedies. Go see this for some of the best laughs of the "summer".

fewstingscorpio:

I would really give this a 3 1/2. I wasn't pulled in as I like to have been. I didn't find Tom's (Joseph Gorden-Levitt)love interest that interesting. Sumner(Zooey Deschanel), irritated me. I found her performance flat. The movie did have a unique feel, that made it fun. The soundtrack was great.

Jared W.:

One of my favorite movies of 2009. A wonderful romantic comedy that breaks down the barriers of the typical "boy meets girl and happily ever after" cliche. A great acting and a great script make this a highly entertaining flick.

Nick :

This movie is so cool b/c it pretty much explains why every relationship, before "the One" comes along fails. The directing is pretty awesome too.

tanner james:

At first, this movie reminded me of Garden State and it does have the American hipster style/feel. The writing is witty and there is no lull. Deschanel and Levitt are great together and probably will be recognized during the award season. The music, as with any indie film, is spectacular. Like the narrator and poster says, "This is not a love story."

AsianNationPimp:

I never review movies and i have watched thousands but this movie touched me in such a negative way i had to It should have been called 500 days of Misery If you enjoy watching someone getting his heart ripped out of there chest over and over then this is for you I was hoping for Garden State and got A River Runs Through It

Killer Klown:

a good date movie? Zooey D. is hot as always but this is a love story kind of... this movie shows the inner struggles in a relationship. This movie lost my interest but I am a 33 year old man, so consider the source.

willschiff:

On the reels, ?500 Days of Summer? is one of those films whose potency only increases the more you think about it. This film exposes its incredible heart to audiences everywhere, revealing the astounding truths regarding the passionately debated origins and realities of love itself. Marc Webb?s directorial ability is excellently showcased in his debut film, leaving me eager to visit his next project as soon as possible. However, I?m perfectly content with only having ?500 Days of Summer? for now as it cements itself as one of my favorite films of the year and one of the most innovative takes on life and love in recent memory.