I finally got a chance to go and see 500 Days of Summer after countless times being late to pick up my friend Christan to go see it. It took me paying for her meal and kissing her hand to make it up to her, because we missed the first part of it, but we got the gist of what the movie was about.
For those of you who have become lost in commercialism, 500 Days of Summer is a movie about unreturned love and has a great soundtrack to go along with it. It’s about a guy named Tom who falls for his co-worker Summer whom he dreams of being with everyday when he sees her at work. Finally, with the help of a drunken friend, Summer learns of Tom’s unspoken feelings and their romantic roller coaster begins. As Tom begins to enjoy Summer’s presence, Summer surprises him and tells Tom that she doesn’t want to be serious. Much to Tom’s surprise, he responds by agreeing knowing that he has deeper feelings for Summer than she does for him. They still go out and act the way couples do which confuses Tom because of Summer’s haunting words to him.
He gets a reality check when he punches some guy out for making unwanting comments to Summer and Summer gets mad at him for doing so. They continue as normal, but suddenly, Summer quits her job and quits on Tom which leaves him in an abysmal state of mind as he can’t get over what just happened to him. The movie continues to go back and forth from the relationship to Tom’s present without Summer as the days are counted until it reaches 500. There is more to the movie but I’ll let you go and check it out for yourself.
The greatest thing that I like about the movie is the soundtrack for the movie. It didn’t use any songs of the present world, but played hits such as “Please Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths and also “Here Comes Your Man” by The Pixies. The lead character Tom even had on a black Joy Division shirt that read “Love Will Tear Us Apart Again” which is a popular song from the new wave band. The soundtrack was the reason why I went to see the movie as I believe that a good soundtrack makes a good movie and 500 Days of Summer is another example.
The only thing that bothered me about the movie was the fact that Summer did not return the same feelings that Tom had for her, and still carried on like they were America’s number one couple. I have to admit that I am a hopeless romantic myself, so I would hope that two people who seem to have everything in the other person would work out, but I guess that’s why the world is a funny place. I understand that she was honest about her feelings which is why I was even more mad at Tom for not leaving her when she told him her feelings about their relationship. It was just sad seeing him really falling for this girl each and every moment he was around her knowing that she didn’t feel the same way about him. It was almost like she was just using him for a good time and when the good time ran out, so did she. I can’t see how someone could carry on with someone as if they are in a serious relationship and then just leave without a trace. Love is a funny thing, that’s why I say if a person is unsure or tells you that they don’t want anything serious, if you know that you have stronger feelings for them then it is best just to let them go and save a heartbreak.
