Movie review: 500 Days of Summer

Year: 2009
Director: Marc Webb
Country: USA
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Run Time: 95m

Stars: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Geoffrey Arend

This is not a love story.
It's a story about love.
Which really is a different thing entirely.
'500 Days of Summer' is a relationship in a nut shell, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  It's a character piece, so if yer looking for flames and fighting, this is not your film.  If you're looking for an enjoyable story, with some great moments, this is a movie to watch.
I like the style of the film.  The artistic touches and intrusions are well used.  I loved the big dance number, it was a great illustration of an emotion most of us have experienced at one time or another.  The sound track is enjoyable and interesting enough to get me to search it on Amazon, so I could find more of the same type of music.  The non-linear plot is a perfect reflection of memory, and its dependence on perception.
Zooey Deschanel is charming as the quirky, independent, pretty girl.  Even though you're tempted to hate her an behalf of Tom, the focal character, you really can't.  She's too honest and likable.
The real standout of '500 Days of Summer' is Joesph Gordon-Levitt as likable, inhibited Tom Hansen.  He makes a weak, misguided character, a character that could easily cross over into annoying, sympathetic.  He keeps Tom interesting and engaging, even when you want to reach out and smack him.
Joesph Gordon-Levitt, as Tommy on '3rd Rock From the Sun' was my favorite character.  He's made the jump from child star and is proving himself as a fine, versatile actor.  He was a standout in 'Killshot' as a psychotic punk.  He turned in a great performance as action guy in 'Inception', and now he adds nice guy Tom to his credit.
'500 Days of Summer' is an entertaining take on love.  If you see it for no other reason, watch it for Joesph Gordon-Levitt's performance.