(500) Days of Summer Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A hopeless romantic falls for a girl who doesn’t believe in love, then gets sad when she marries someone else, and then meets another girl, because seasons change, duh.

🍿 (500) Days of Summer: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Boy Meets Girl: The First Encounter

Tom Hansen, a greeting card writer and aspiring architect, meets Summer Finn, the new assistant to his boss. They bond over their shared love for The Smiths, sparking an immediate connection. Despite Tom’s romantic belief in soulmates, Summer openly declares she doesn’t believe in love, setting the stage for their unconventional relationship.

An Unconventional Relationship

Tom and Summer embark on a relationship that defies labels. They spend time together, enjoy shared interests, and become physically intimate, but Summer remains resistant to the idea of commitment. Tom, deeply infatuated, struggles to reconcile his romantic ideals with Summer’s detached perspective. This creates tension and uncertainty throughout their time together.

The Inevitable Breakup

As their relationship progresses, the differences in their views on love become increasingly apparent. A pivotal moment occurs when Summer cries during a viewing of *The Graduate*, a film Tom always saw as a romantic fairytale. Ultimately, Summer ends the relationship, leaving Tom heartbroken and confused. The breakup sends Tom into a downward spiral, forcing him to confront his illusions about love and destiny.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt): A hopeless romantic and aspiring architect working as a greeting card writer who falls hard for Summer.
• Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel): A free-spirited woman who doesn’t believe in love and enters a casual relationship with Tom.
• McKenzie (Geoffrey Arend): Tom’s sarcastic but supportive best friend and coworker who provides advice (often drunken) on his relationship.
• Rachel (Chloë Grace Moretz): Tom’s younger, surprisingly insightful sister who offers him grounded advice about love and relationships.
• Autumn (Minka Kelly): A woman Tom meets at a job interview towards the end of the movie, representing a new beginning.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Tom: “People change. And they forget to tell each other.” – Tom reflects on the painful realization that Summer has changed and grown distant, highlighting the film’s theme of evolving relationships.
• Summer: “I just… I woke up one day and I knew. What I was never sure of with you.” – Summer explains her marriage to Tom, highlighting that she found certainty with someone else that she never had with him.
• Rachel: “Just because she likes the same bizarro crap you do doesn’t mean she’s your soulmate.” – Tom’s younger sister wisely cautions him against mistaking shared interests for true compatibility.
• Tom: “I love her smile, I love her hair, I love her knees, I love this. I love that she loves Raisin Bran.” – Tom, in a moment of intense infatuation, lists the many specific things he loves about Summer early in their relationship, displaying a romanticized perspective.
• Narrator: “This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story.” – The film’s opening line sets the stage for a deconstruction of typical romantic tropes.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $7.5M
• Domestic Gross: $32.3M
• Worldwide Gross: $60.8M

💥 (500) Days of Summer Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, I’ll admit it, I cried during this movie. A lot. The whole thing felt so real, like I was watching a friend go through a breakup. Tom’s highs and lows were my highs and lows, and Summer… well, she’s complicated, isn’t she? That Ikea scene? Genius! And the split screen expectations vs. reality? Heartbreaking! It made me question my own beliefs about love, and that’s the mark of a great film.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of independent films and unconventional romantic comedies.”
  • “Those who appreciate films with unique narrative structures and strong soundtracks.”
  • “Viewers who enjoy stories about self-discovery and navigating relationships.”
  • “Those who appreciate realistic portrayals of love and heartbreak”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Brief strong language”
  • “Depiction of emotional distress and heartbreak.”
  • “Some suggestive content.”

Professional Reviews

• IndieWire: “Webb’s film captures the sting of heartbreak with disarming honesty. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel deliver performances brimming with quirky charm, making their fractured relationship both believable and deeply affecting. It’s a rom-com that dares to be unromantic, and that’s what makes it so special.
• The New York Times: “‘(500) Days of Summer’ isn’t a typical romantic comedy; it’s a deconstruction of one. It’s funny, sweet, and painfully relatable, exploring the messy realities of love and loss with wit and originality.
• Rolling Stone: “The film’s nonlinear narrative keeps the audience guessing, but it’s the heartfelt performances from Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel that make this a memorable exploration of love, loss, and the search for meaning.

Audience Reactions

The non-linear storytelling kept me guessing and engaged.: Viewers appreciated the film’s fresh take on the rom-com genre, praising its honesty and relatability.

The soundtrack perfectly captured the mood of the film.: Many enjoyed the music selection, finding it emotionally evocative and enhancing the overall experience.

Overall Consensus: A fresh and relatable take on romance that subverts genre expectations with its non-linear storytelling and honest portrayal of heartbreak.

Awards

1. Independent Spirit Awards (Best Screenplay)- 2010

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Jenny Beckman, the girl mentioned in the opening disclaimer (‘Especially you Jenny Beckman. Bitch.’), is based on a real person who broke Scott Neustadter’s heart, one of the film’s writers.”
• “Director Marc Webb is primarily known for his work in music videos before making his feature film debut with (500) Days of Summer.”
• “The film’s non-linear narrative structure was inspired by the movie ‘Przypadek’ (Blind Chance), emphasizing the impact of chance encounters on our lives.”
• “Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel previously co-starred in ‘Manic,’ which allowed them to develop a natural chemistry that translated well onscreen for this movie.”

🖥️ How to Watch (500) Days of Summer?

You can stream “(500) Days of Summer” on platforms such as Hulu with a premium add-on or rent/purchase it on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Check local listings for possible availability on cable TV.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed (500) Days of Summer, you might like these similar films:

• Annie Hall (1977): Both films deconstruct traditional romance narratives and examine relationships with a sense of humor and melancholy.
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): Deals with the complexities of relationships and the pain of breakups, using a non-linear narrative structure to explore memories.
• High Fidelity (2000): Features a protagonist who analyzes his past relationships to figure out where he went wrong, with a focus on music and pop culture references.
• La La Land (2016): Explores the balance between love and personal ambition, with a bittersweet ending that challenges traditional romantic expectations.
• Manhattan (1979): Captures a similar sense of romantic disillusionment amidst the backdrop of city life, with a focus on intellectual and artistic pursuits.

🛒 (500) Days of Summer Related Products

• 500 Days of Summer (Blu-ray): Relive the quirky romance with this must-have Blu-ray edition. Featuring deleted scenes, commentary, and behind-the-scenes footage, it’s perfect for any die-hard fan.
• The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead (Vinyl): Own a piece of Tom and Summer’s shared musical taste with The Smiths’ iconic album. Hear the sound of unrequited love on high-quality vinyl. The soundtrack to a generation’s heartaches.
• Magritte: The Treachery of Images: Delve into the surreal world of René Magritte, the artist Tom and Summer admire. Explore the fascinating symbolism and thought-provoking art that inspires their connection.
• (500) Days of Summer – Inspired Greeting Cards: Capture the quirky spirit of Tom’s greeting card writing with a set of inspired greeting cards. Share the same quirky cards created in the film.

🎧 Soundtrack

(500) Days of Summer features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Us” – performed by Regina Spektor
• “Sweet Disposition” – performed by The Temper Trap
• “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” – performed by The Smiths
• “Quelqu’un M’a Dit” – performed by Carla Bruni

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

A Warning to Hopeless Romantics

Curious about why Tom can’t seem to find true love? This video dives into the psychology behind his romantic struggles, providing a thought-provoking analysis of 500 Days of Summer.

Movies I Love (and so can you): 500 Days of Summer (2009) [*Spoilers*]

Want to hear why 500 Days of Summer is so beloved? This passionate review shares the reasons why it’s such a special film. You might just find yourself agreeing with every point!

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