(500) Days of Summer is not about surfing… and no surfers were harmed in the making of this film. The Endless Summer was a quest for the perfect wave, while (500) Days of Summer is the quest for the perfect girl. That is unless you equate the game of love with the ocean, in which case there are plenty of fish in the sea and you’ve got to catch the ultimate wave, because only a surfer knows the feeling.

Whether that feeling’s the euphoria and sense of oneness riding one of nature’s most enigmatic species or being unashamedly dumped like yesterday’s newspaper by Big Wednesday, it all feeds back to one love and I really like what they did with this movie poster… “been there, got the t-shirt”. Nice.

Catch the rest of the review and the trailer after the jump…

Now before you get too far ahead of yourself, (500) Days of Summer is nothing like that poor excuse for a bubblegum romance, Blue Crush. While there’s a reference to “guppies”… this movie is not about the sea, Finding Nemo or a really big day of the week, it’s about a season between a boy and a girl called… you guessed it, Summer.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Uncertainty) is Tom Hansen (no relation to the “Mmmbop” brothers) a pretty ordinary guy in love with Summer (an extraordinary girl) played by the enchanting Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man). He works for a greeting card company, although he’d prefer to be an architect (we’ve all been there). When he eyes the prize… in this case, Summer with her luscious dark hair and blue eyes – there’s very little for him to do other than put the blinkers on and become obsessed with her.

Don’t worry, it’s not like he went out and bought night vision goggles (they would’ve cast McCaulay Culkin for that), he just got a little lost in her eyes. Traditional romantic comedies would have the hero joust or battle a dragon for his damsel, okay maybe not that far back… in (500) Days of Summer, our protagonist must overcome even greater odds than death – the stigma of “let’s just be friends”.

(500) Days of Summer has a fresh sensibility about it… probably because it has been edited as a visual diary, flipping back-and-forth in time between Day 1 and Day 500. Don’t worry, it doesn’t try to relay the events of each-and-every day, it’s more like a PG highlights reel. It keeps us on our toes as we uncover the relationship’s makes and breaks as a series of Tom’s memories flood into his our stream of consciousness.

“N-n-nice body, are you going to hold it against me?”

The concept works remarkably well as the two likable rising stars, Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel, weave an intriguing web of love’s triumphs and heartaches. It’s a cool, upbeat journey that never alienates the audience with its bipolar range of happy and sad emotions. This emotional complexity gives it a touch of reality, one which carves a genuine love story out of the proverbial Holly-wood instead of leaving one of those ghastly “MJ hearts MC” tree hearts in the wood.

People that enjoyed Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Uncertainty, a Sliding Doors type romance/thriller(?), will detect a similar dynamic in (500) Days of Summer. The high concept, editing, elements of romance and Gordon-Levitt’s presence resonate… yet (500) Days of Summer is well-rounded and isn’t as much of a genre-bender. Deschanel is the new generation’s Drew Barrymore, a near-eccentric girl from next door, who has an understated charm. Together, their chemistry works just fine and their performances complement one another… even better than the bromance in Dude, Where’s My Car?

(500) Days of Summer won’t be the best romantic comedy you’ve ever seen, but isn’t as predictable, staged and superfluous as some of the “romcom” genre entries of late. Marc ‘Inter’ Webb, a relatively inexperienced director, does a fine job giving a fluidity to the story, while shamed, “what-were-you-thinking?” Pink Panther 2 writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber manage to redeem themselves… just.

The “diary” concept, fun tempo, solid performances and fresh angle on the now tatty heart-shaped box of chocolates and drooping bouquet (no thanks to Freddie Prinze Jr.) make (500) Days of Summer worth a watch. So when you take a break from the sunscreen lathering, sex wax and seal suit – give (500) Days of Summer a go. Unlike surfing (and any other dodgy puns you “happen” upon) this is one dump you’ll want to relive… over and over again.

The bottom line: Fresh.

Release Date: 15 March, 2010

Watch the (500) Days of Summer Trailer

Now available to rent at your local video store.
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