(500) Days of Summer

No, this isn't a film about the longest hot and dry period in history, but an offbeat romantic comedy about Tom, a greeting card writer, who falls for Summer, a colleague who doesn't believe in true love.
 
(500) Days of Summer is told non-sequentially, flicking around the 500 days that they spend together to show how they meet and get to know each other. Instantly smitten by his boss's attractive new secretary, Tom is desperate to date Summer and it appears she likes him when she kisses him in the photocopying room. However, she just wants to be friends and to live her life a bit before settling down.
 

Sex isn't out of the question, but this leaves Tom unfulfilled and increasingly miserable. The initial relationship - a friendship - is one of liberated joy which helps Tom professionally, but as things darken his boss think he's more suited to bereavement cards, such is the bleak nature of his 'greetings'!
 
With only a couple of immature friends, Tom relies on his soccer playing adolescent sister Rachel for advice, turning up at her games in search of her sagely wisdom which, amazingly, she provides!
 
Zooey Deschanel has played quirky characters before and is very good at portraying the unobtainable girl of one's dreams (see Yes Man and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) - it's a perfect piece of casting. She has great on-screen chemistry with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose angst-ridden Tom loves her eccentricities (she thinks the best Beatles song is An Octopus's Garden and Ringo is her favourite of the Fab Four!).
 
There's an authenticity to the writing and characters and a disclaimer at the beginning hints that this may have been a true story, at least in part. The direction is fluid and humorous, moving beautifully between the light and dark moments in the 500 days, with intertitles indicating by colour which day you are on and the mood thereof.  The mood shifts from Tom's darkest depression - the film begins with him smashing crockery in a daze - to his unbridled joy with an impromptu song and dance routine in the park which is reminiscent of Enchanted - there's even a cartoon bird!
 
I was unsure what to expect from this, much preferring horror to romantic comedy and, though the trailer looked good, I've learned never to judge a film by its publicity! I was therefore more than pleasantly surprised when (500) Days of Summer completely drew me in being funny, heart warming and (despite the 'anti-romantic' boast on the back of the box) quite romantic. Not your typical rom-com, but a great watch that will appeal to those outside the traditional demographic for this genre.

The Disc

 
Extra Features
There isn't a great deal of substance here, with several short and varied featurettes that tie into the film but don't shed any light on how it was cast, written or made.  The Bank Dance, directed by Marc Webb, is exactly what the title suggests but has nothing to do with the film.  Mean's Cinemash: "Sid and Nancy/(500) Days of Summer" is a scene with Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt in which they are dressed as Sid and Nancy and is a reference to a brief exchange in the movie.  It's fun and very well acted.
 
You also get a selection of deleted and extended scenes, a music video by the Temper Trap and a series of EPK style jokey conversations between the two leads.  There's nothing to get particularly excited about, but still worth a look.
 
The package also comes with a digital copy which allows you to watch the film on your computer and compatible portable devices.
 
The Picture
It's rare to have a film only three months on from its theatrical run that looks bad and the quality here is up with the best. The colours are realistic and vibrant, contrast levels are fantastic and the overall impression of a very well shot film.
 
The settings and costumes are top drawer and the art department did a sterling job with the sets.
 
The Sound
Like the picture, the DTS-HD Master Audio track is outstanding, with crystal clear dialogue and a wonderfully evocative score and sourced music from artists including The Smiths, Doves, Regina Spektor and The Temper Trap.
 
This isn't the kind of film to use to show off your sound system, but the surrounds are used very well for the ambient and nuance sounds, creating atmosphere and establishing a fine sound stage.
 
There's also a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio descriptive track.
 
Final Thoughts
I'm pretty discriminating when it comes to rom-coms and (500) Days of Summer reminded me a little of Zack Braff's fantastic indie film Garden State, with its offbeat humour and mood shifts. I really liked this and will definitely watch it again, unfortunately the extras package isn't up to much and lets down an otherwise excellent BD.
 
Recommended for both rom-com aficionados and those, who like me, are ambivalent to the genre.