(500) Days of Summer

I'll admit, I rarely watch romantic movies anymore because, in that stereotypical whirlpool, there are only very few titles worth watching. The vast majority of those genre pieces are made as if following a template and differ only slightly in doses of naivety and, when it comes to teenage matters, even in the level of tastelessness. (500) Days of Summer really stands out from this flood because it has honest craftsmanship and a few decent ideas as well as pleasant casting. But from my perspective, it's by no means a cult film. It was allegedly a huge hit at the Sundance Festival, but any major studio could have easily financed this Webb film. In fact, it is purely a mainstream affair. If stars were given for the best mainstream romance of the year, (500) Days of Summer would probably win hands down, but that's not how it works for me. It differs from the usual productions mainly by the fact that the screenwriter admitted that not every romantic love ends in marriage, but if they want to sell me these discoveries, they should turn to someone else with such banalities. After two days, I can only remember very little from the film. It's pleasant enough for one viewing, but nothing more. Overall impression: 60%. (30/12/2014)

You can feel the tremendous energy from the start, it's charmingly imaginative, very sensitive, and very "communicative". What's also interesting is the kind of haze of mystery and uncertainty you'll want to share with Joseph. I almost didn't even breathe during the expectations/reality scene, because it was so evocatively delivered, thanks to Marc Webb's skill and sensitivity, it had quite an archetypal effect on me (and of course, purely personal memories came up for the occasion). I also liked very much how balanced it was in terms of content (or information) – on the one hand, it thoroughly demonstrates the positivity and pleasant things that come out of falling in love (the dancing, going to work scene was without flaw in this respect) and on the other hand, the subsequent huge inner mess is depicted fittingly, perhaps at times a bit violently. The seemingly unformulaic treatment also added some points to the result, so at this point I'm not afraid to include (500) Days of Summer among what I consider high-quality and tasteful among romantic films. (24/09/2012)

A fresh and new approach to the material with excellent casting. The two main virtues of this interestingly presented and positive comedy, where the wave of seriousness and sometimes bitterly cynical undertones resonate perfectly with the archetypal premise of all romantic films, are love and everything around it. Webb got it right, it's from life, and while it seems mature and adult at times, it's actually a teen issue in every way. (29/08/2016)

I watched this film more out of curiosity due to its popularity, but I honestly didn't see anything special about it at all. It is hardly funny, not intelligent or entertaining enough to grab your attention. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is likable, but Zooey Deschanel was an ugly bitch whom I found very unlikeable, I didn't really root for their strange relationship. It didn't sit well with me. A run-of-the-mill unremarkable romantic drama like any other. 55% (26/10/2017)

500 Days of Summer is a sweet romantic dramedy with a likable cast in the lead roles and an unconventionally portrayed relationship between two people who meet by chance. Aside from the narrative style, which was purposefully non-linear, I liked the uncharacteristic ending, which gives a run for its money to the vast majority of overseas films of a similar genre. In short, a film suitable for brightening up a day in which love, fatality, disappointment and hope collide. (09/05/2013)