Chattanooga Pulse

This is the final week until Phillip Johnston comes back from lands afar, so I thought I’d eschew Harry Potter and welcome him back with a film that was on his Summer Movie picks, and one that I was actually interested in seeing (if I can get a date…ladies?).

500 Days of Summer stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom Hanson. You might remember him as the young guy from Third Rock from the Sun, or from the upcoming G.I. Joe. Apparently, he’s following the Brad Pitt method of one money movie per art movie, and I find that commendable. Tom Hanson is a man who believes in love, and holds it in such high esteem that he feels empty without it.

One day, he’s on an elevator with Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe), who observes how much she likes the music he’s listening to on his headphones. She sings a little bit of the song that’s playing, bats her impossibly beautiful eyes, and Tom (and I) are instantly in love.

Like many a great Office Space homage, Hanson hates his job, obsesses on opportunities lost, and wishes for something more. He turns out syrupy schlock for a greeting card company, and yearns for passion in his life. Enter Summer, who takes a job at his company, loves The Smiths just as much as he does, and is basically a walking checklist of everything Hanson wants in a woman.

The snag:  Summer doesn’t believe in love, or more to the point, she doesn’t want to be held down by a relationship. This hits home particularly hard, because this exact situation has happened to me twice recently. Despite all the romantic comedies flooding theaters every month, it seems that love has gone the way of the dodo.

So, here’s a movie for Eleanor Rigby, beautifully shot by Marc Webb, and brilliantly written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber. It’s no wonder Sundance ate up the perfect chemistry between Deschanel and Levitt. Webb’s history as a music video director is also on showcase here, and he does feature a couple of musical performances. Don’t let this turn you off, as 500 Days of Summer has more in common with Garden State than Mamma Mia. Plus, we all loved Deschanel’s bathroom duet with Will Ferrell in Elf.

Probably the thing I love most about this movie is that it’s a good antidote to the overproduced big-budget blockbusters, right in the heart of the summer. I need a little break from the massive explosions, I need to care a lot more about the characters, and I need to feel like my intelligence is respected. 500 Days of Summer is the prescription to cure all that ails.

Additionally, it’s the perfect prescription for your friend that won’t quit whining about “the one that got away.” Over the course of the 500 days in 500 Days of Summer, Tom learns about relationships, reconciliations, Love (with a capital L), Loss (again), and—most crucially—the importance of moving forward.

The supporting cast needs a mention here. Clark Gregg does a great job as Tom’s lame boss, Geoffrey Arend fills the shoes of comedic sidekick nicely, and Ian Reed Kesler personifies douchebaggery. On a side note, special recognition goes out to hometown-girl-made-good Rachel Boston. She’s from Signal Mountain, and you might remember her from NBC’s American Dreams, or recognize her from a couple dozen bit parts she’s played over the years. She’s making Chattanooga redheads proud, so go support the home team!

500 Days of Summer
Directed by Marc Webb
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel
Rated PG-13
Running time: 95 minutes