Nothing holds my attention better than a good story; (500) Days of Summer is a good story. It's a story in which each of us, at some point when trying to be a lover, has been the protagonist. As the movie opens, the voice-over narrator perfectly summarizes the movie: this is the story of boy meets girl. It is not a love story...well sort of. By my estimation, it is a love story, just a lop-sided one. It's the classic mismatch of desires contradicted by the inevitable, irresistable allure of attraction. You don't hear what he or she is saying; you don't absorb the actions they are taking or not taking; you're just playing out the fiction in your head: of course, he/she loves me as I do him/her. Tom falls for Kate under this very illusion. We jump through time with him when the film opens with the breakup then cuts back to the love's first sight and subsequent flight. We then follow their chronology of relating that ends sadly and with questions. Ultimately, it is the story of the way we grow--earnestly, eagerly, or painfully--with any attempt to love another; how we often grow the most when on the other end of unrequited love; how love's loss pushes us into ourselves.
Aside from its message, (500) Days of Summer is refreshing. If not for its time-jumping chronology nor its witty dialogue than just plain see it for the story about the guy not getting the girl but getting something better.
Good suggestion, Jim and Nadya!
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Caught this one on video recently. Loved it. Nothing like a quirky little comedy to keep me entertained. Not your typical Hollywood ending which I found to be quite refreshing. Loved the clever credits! I missed this one in the theatre so was anxious to see it as well after Jim and Nadya's rave review a few months ago!!
ReplyDeleteLeen, it’s good to have you back among us! Of course, I should talk as infrequent as my visits to the blog have been.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad that you and Remmi enjoyed 500 Days. I don’t enjoy romantic comedies where I feel no attachment to the principals. Where I do like the characters, I’m tired of the predictable course of events where a schism develops through either a misunderstanding or the exposure of an unfortunate but obsolete truth followed by a miraculous rescue that immediately resolves everything in the last few minutes.
This movie was like watching a friend play out a one-sided relationship. You want it to work out for your friend’s sake but you don’t really expect this. Your friend tries to convince himself/herself into a hope that is not there while you nod thoughtfully. When it falls apart you help your friend look back to see the obvious warning signs. The non-linear chronology of the relationship works for a non-linear relationship.
I wrote a screenplay for a romantic comedy that does not end in boy-gets-girl. I was told by everyone in the movie industry I spoke to that I cannot end a romcom any other way. It’s good to see that original screenplays are possible.
Jim
Hey Jim:
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to recirculate your screenplay now that independent films are so popular and winning such critical acclaim. I'm a sucker for a happy ending but that doesn't always translate to boy-gets-girl. For me, a good script will win out every time.
How cool that you've written a screenplay!
Remmi :)
Jim,
ReplyDeleteHiya! I second Remmi here. Do it. Do it.
Thanks Remmi and Leen! It's always nice to get encouragement. One of the problems with the movie business is that selling a screenplay is often more work than writing it. Of course, writing does not feel like work so it's not a fair comparison. Agents really do earn their 10%. Pity I can't find one yet.
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