(500) Days of Summer un film de Marc Webb

Telling the 500 days of the relationship between Summer (Zooey Deschanels) and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in unchronological order, (500) Days of Summer is a charming American indie film.

Without falling into absolute cheesyness and thousand times seen clichés the story is taught on Tom's point of view of their relationship. Gordon-Levitt gives a strong and touching performance in his 80's indie music lover/wannabe architect greeting card writer instead. The soundtrack is amazing with forgotten bands like The Smiths, The Clash and indie rock bands of the moment like Mumm-Ra. Well, since I'm a music lover when the music of a film fell in my tastes I tend to appreciate the film a little bit more.

The character of Tom is so real and well nuanced by Gordon-Levitt' performance that I easily identified myself to him. (Well, it's easy since we approximately have the same age, music tastes, and personnalities...) Enough of me!

Summer portrayed by Zooey Deschanel who gives a very good performance in an uncommon character. Sometimes she is too distant in the character and her presence could have been a little stronger in the more dramatic scenes.

For Marc Webb, the director this is a great sophomore effort and I think he did what I would do if I someday I could direct my films; please myself with classic foreign films references... I'm not gonna list them here but let's say if you're into Ingmar Bergman you'll have a good laugh...

I truly loved (500) Days of Summer, it doesn't reinvent the genre but it refresh it in a very good way. One of the runners-up to my Top 10 of 2009.


A Film Review by Michaël Parent