Romantic classics such as “Harry and Sally” or “Pretty Woman”, which have achieved cult status, have become an integral part of the top lists. With more modern films, on the other hand, few are original and stand the test of time wonderfully. “500 Days Of Summer” stands out for its unconventional nature and is my streaming recommendation for all romance fans.
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This is what 500 Days Of Summer is all about
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works as a greeting card designer in Los Angeles and has been waiting for his wife for a long time. After meeting Summer (Zooey Deschanel) at work one day, he seems to have found the perfect match. Summer, on the other hand, does not believe in eternal love and is not willing to commit herself completely to one person.
If one day they get closer together, 500 days will follow where Tom is confronted with the different phases of a romantic relationship. From then on, month after month passes and Tom experiences an emotional rollercoaster ride full of romance and shared dreams, but also dark days of disappointment, not only in love but also in life.
The great love?
If you’re planning a romantic movie night for two, choosing the movie can be a challenge. How cheesy, how cliche can it be? Is a sad ending allowed? And it should be something both parties enjoy equally.
The independent production “500 Days Of Summer”, released in 2009, has the best conditions for a great movie night, which can already be felt in the first three minutes. The narrator warns that: “This is not a love story”. So you can’t expect a typical story about a man and a woman, including the classic happy ending. Nor are clichés and moments of embarrassment, which are increasingly common in contemporary cinema. Instead, it’s about something else:
“500 Days of Summer” is not actually a love story, but rather a life story and a portrait of how much impact a relationship can have – no matter how beautiful or complicated it is.
Unforgettable movie magic
“500 Days of Summer” not only defies narrative conventions, but also goes its own way. The non-chronological narrative structure, the omnipresent narrator and the many indie songs used to support the images also provide an unforgettable cinematic sympathy.
Director Marc Webb unleashes all the artillery from his film repertoire. Split screens, depicting Tom’s expectations on the one hand and reality on the other, as well as various animation sequences are just two examples that always exude an unforgettable charm. It gives perfectly normal moments in life a magical touch.
The fact that both women and men will have a lot of fun and can learn equally rounds out “500 Days of Summer” perfectly. It is (as described in the beginning) a true story that everyone can more or less get something out of. While other productions try to explain to us how love works, this masterpiece stands above it and shows it very clearly: it doesn’t take one series of clichéd jokes after another or desperate chasing to keep the relationship alive. Authenticity and understanding of both characters are unbeatable in combination.
Ultimately, the film is the best example of the fact that there are also successful love films for people who hate tearjerkers. You just have to find them. This is not least because the love is highly de-romanticized and the subject is handled intelligently. Because of this, but also because of the nice balance between seriousness and looseness, the romantic comedy still works excellently now, 14 years later. A better movie for a romantic movie night should be found first.