Do you believe in soulmates? Is there such a thing as true love? Is there such a thing as fate? Do you believe in love at first sight?
Whether we want to admit it or not, we have probably all either been asked or at least thought about these questions. Our opinions about an idea as complex as love have likely adapted as we have experienced more of the world, and will continue to change as we get older. With Valentine's Day only a few days away, these complicated questions seem to be haunting us at every corner. So what better way to try and answer them than with a movie, in which we can experience another person's relationship without any of the heartbreak that is potentially to follow.
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Marc Webb's 2009 film (500) Days of Summer tackles many of these questions in classic romantic comedy fashion, with the twist of a non-chronological sequence of events. The movie takes the classic "boy meets girl" story and writes it so the audience gets to see attitudes about love that cover the spectrum from cynical to overly optimistic. The movie tells the story of Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel. In a sentence, the hour and a half long film could be summarized by saying that Tom falls for the beautiful and enigmatic Summer, who fails to love Tom back. Of course, this would be a horrible generalization, as the importance of the movie lies not in who ends up with whom, but how the characters deal with their feelings.
Tom's character, who writes slogans for greeting cards, falls head-over-heels for a girl he believes to be out of his league. And she is. But not for some ethereal beauty, or overwhelming popularity, but because Summer seems to be playing a different game. While his infatuation leads to wanting a long term relationship, Summer seeks out a causal fling. The two are unable to agree what love really is and how to appease it, causing them to argue often.
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After many fights over the definition of their relationship and what the future holds, the couple eventually grow apart, leading the characters in opposite directions. Tom goes spiraling into depression, while Summer is more than happy to be on her own. However, as time progresses, it seems that both Summer and Tom were somewhat wrong about their individual approach to love, allowing them to validate the other's actions.
When the two reunite down the road, they are able to see that their actions obviously had a greater impact on the other's perception of the world than they could have imagined. The movie forces us to realize that regardless the outcome, relationships have a way of changing our minds because we must learn from other people to make them successful. Tom is able to become less naive, while Summer is able to be more open with her heart. This movie makes for the perfect Valentine's Day story because it leaves us on a happy note, even if it is not necessarily the ending we wanted. It also incorporates humor, a cute story, and an incredible soundtrack, making it the perfect movie for any time of the year.
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| Via The Odyssey |
