Apoorva Ramesh
Period 2 APLAC
Ms. Taylor
Most romantic comedies are basically the same. The boy and girl meet, fall in love, overcome their struggles together, and eventually get married. (500) Days of Summer (2009) defies this stereotype, setting up for an original and refreshing film filled with emotion, charm, and humor. Directed by Marc Webb and starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this independent film captures the essence of “modern love” and encapsulates the pain and passion involved in heartbreak
A good movie can be classified by many aspects, but the most important elements to be taken into consideration are the acting, the believability and originality of the plot, and the overall entertainment value of the movie
(500) Days of Summer is a story about love, but not a love story
Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt both act exceptionally throughout (500) Days of Summer. As the main protagonist, Gordon-Levitt does a fantastic job of playing the hopeless romantic looking for love. Every moment of emotion, whether one of hope, pain, passion, or confusion, is captured by Gordon-Levitt. He doesn’t hold back, and takes on the role of Tom in a way that is three dimensional and complex. His portrayal also got him nominated for a Golden Globe, a People’s Choice Award, and an Independent Spirit Award
In addition to acting and cast, another one of the best aspects of (500) Days of Summer is the plot itself. While the concept of two people falling in love has been done numerous times, this film takes a new and fresh perspective on the traditional story. This modern twist is seen throughout the movie. It is exceptionally unique that Tom is the protagonist, because in romantic comedies the female lead is usually the leading character. Also, the ending is one of the most realistic and believable endings I have ever seen. The film acknowledges that all relationships are not perfect, and no matter how perfect some seem, they can still come to an end. Also, while the breakup of Summer and Tom may be tragic, the movie ends on an inspirational note, showing that moving on is right thing to do. (500) Days of Summer is original and feels like real life, making it realistic and relatable for audiences.
An interesting plot and an ingenious cast contributed to making (500) Days of Summer extremely entertaining on many levels. The movie is humorous and light-hearted as the audience sees Summer and Tom’s adventures, whether they are singing karaoke or playing house in IKEA, and it keeps the mood during more serious scenes when Tom reflects on their breakup and when he goes into depression. The pace of the movie is not too slow, so audiences are kept interested. Also, the unconventional “flipbook” style of the movie contributes to the entertainment value of the movie as audiences see many stages of Tom and Summer’s relationship, not necessarily in order. The overall mood of the movie is cheerful and fun, and the audience loves watching Summer and Tom onscreen together.
Overall, (500) Days of Summer redefines what a good romantic comedy is. Its talented cast, realistic plot, and the pure entertainment value of this movie are responsible for its greatness and I feel that all romantic comedy lovers will greatly enjoy this film. No other romantic comedy can compare to this brilliant and flawless masterpiece.
Works Cited
IMDB. 2009. 12 February 2012
Rusty Lime. 3 April 2008. 12 February 2012
Wikipedia. 10 February 2012. 12 February 2012
Wow! An amazing evaluation! My favorite thing was actually how you started the entire piece by comparing this movie to the common stereotype of what a romantic comedy usually is. By doing this, you set aside your movie from the others of its genre, providing a powerful backbone to your argument right off the bat! One thing I enjoyed a lot was how you chose "plot" as a criteria. This was probably, and i'm totally guessing here, a tricky aspect to write about, because most romantic comedy's obtain similar if not identical plots. However you singled yours out from the rest, demonstrating how it was original in its own way. Overall, i think you did a great job evaluating the movie, and had i not already watched it a while ago, i probably would have rented it again! (Although who knows, with two sisters i may end up seeing it soon anyways...) Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Caston!
DeleteWhat a great way to review the movie! I agree with Caston when he mentioned how appealing it is to look at this movie in comparison to other romantic comedies. I think everyone can relate to how boring it is to watch a standard romantic comedy. By explaining this your audience can relate to the criteria you used. You also mentioned believability as one of your criteria which I think is a key feature of the movie and builds on your other point about it being different from other romantic comedies. Also, you use logos and ethos when describing the acting. For instance, you talk about the actor Gordon-Levitt and how you can compare his acting to past and future performances. (He was awesome in Inception :). Plus, you mention that he was nominated for a golden globe and people's choice award. Finally, you use pathos throughout especially when addressing its entertainment value.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alexa!
DeleteThis is a really good way to capture the movie. I agree with Alexa and Caston in that mentioning how (500) Days of Summer sets itself apart from other romantic comedies. I think it was good that you gave speciffic examples from the movie too. Your claim for the argument is very solid as well. I think it was good that you mentioned some other movies that Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt have been in, and the awards that the film won. I think that a way to improve this evaluation would be to compare it to a specific romantic comedy. Overall, I think you did a great job capturing and reviewing this film.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sam!
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