Monday, July 27, 2009

(500) DAYS OF BUMMING ME OUT



It's Day (7)

So I saw (500) Days of Summer last Monday, and I'm just now getting around to licking my wounds and being able to discuss it. "Wound-licking?" you ask? "How could an adorable independent movie starring wide-eyed Zooey Deschanel and a soundtrack speckled with Regina Spektor and Simon and Garfunkel lead to upsetting Hannah?"
Well, I wondered the same thing.

The trailer tells you, right from the beginning, "this is not a love story." And it's not. Maybe a one-sided love-story, from Tom's (Joseph Gordon Levitt) perspective, but certainly not Summer's (Deschanel). The premise: Boy falls for girl of his dreams, who just wants to be friends and occasionally get a little frisky. Girl leaves boy, boy falls apart. Boy tries to win girl back, boy FAILS. Not standard romantic comedy fare. I suppose, without giving away any spoilers, there's a happy ending, but I wasn't feeling happy in the end.

(500) Days is an extremely poignant, heartbreaking look at unrequited love and despite the beautiful filmmaking, smattering of great comedic moments, and Summer's gorgeous wardrobe - it really upset me. It hit me like a punch in the stomach, and for days 1-7, all I could think about is how truly sad this movie is.

Am I boycotting it? Not by any means. I would highly recommend running to your theatre right this second and watching it (with a cup of frozen yogurt in your lap, if you want to get my full experience [I had vanilla with raspberries blended in ... just so you know]). Maybe what I'm boycotting is the misleading business of movie trailers ... or my own easily hurt feelings. Why am I so deeply affected by fiction?! This must be remedied!

Well, I guess in closing I'm going to ask you what movies have affected you this way? Has any movie ever upset you, or made you so happy, changed you in the tiniest bit? Let me know.

I'm going to skulk back to my sofa now and try not to tear up whenever a commercial for (500) Days of Summer comes on ...

So darn cute together you two, shame it didn't work out!


Further viewing:



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20 comments:

M. said...

I agree with you, I loved the movie with all my heart but was really bummed out that Tom didn't end up with Summer. Alot bummed out. I still however consider this one of my favorite movies now. I just can't help but love everything else about the movie other then that they do not end up together.

Evangeline said...

I really really want to see the film! It's been on my "to see list" for a long time now, but I haven't gotten around to seeing it.
I suppose I was very affected by the film Atonement. Not just because it's very very sad, but because things didn't work out the way they should have. I wanted things to work out so much and thus I was rather upset by the end.

Charlotte Drene said...

Oh isn't Zooey Deschanel dreamy?

I know how you feel. Or when some movies end, you're left with that strange feeling and you're not entirely sure why.

Watching the movie (documentary) Baraka changed me. It upset me, quite deeply, and also made me happy. Looking back on it, it's quite confusing, with emotions and the like.

Unknown said...

Hannah, Vin here...

Love is such a trivial thing And has been for how long?
The timeless love story, it's perfect ending. ie. Pride and Prejudice, Taming of the Shrew etc. etc.

Despite the reality being unkind in the majority of situations... We must press on, really.

Love in it's entirety of being*
as an emotion, felt and expressed, will it remain a beautiful thing. Too long has it been coined as simply something experienced through romantic inclinations. What happened to friendship related love/ or owner to pet love. The innocent kind?
Hopefully not offending any athiests out there, the love towards god?

Anyway, as I ramble, it would be wise to point one simple thing out-
Love. The romantic kind- Beautiful no doubt, *when all parties are in agreement/ act accordingly.


In agreement with you, I was deeply wounded by said film. Reminded me of persons, places and things I thought had been left behind...

I have learned one thing, after being on this earth for 25 years... That love gone wrong is haunting. And it never leaves you, until you leave it.

Bless all of you,
Cheers

Lauren said...

i agree with you! i'm afraid to go see this because it looks really sad. ...but how can i say no to zooey and morrissey? you look a little like zooey. :)

Libertad said...

Well, I must see it, because I love films without happy ending. i mean, the happy ending is a dream, and this normally doesn't happen in real life; that's maybe why I like this kind of films.

Something similar happened to me when I saw The hours, a film that maybe changed my life long time ago. Or maybe, more recent, The Reader. And of course, chasing amy, by kevin smith; comedy and drama with the comic world... wow. And the Altar boys, Almost famous... there are lots of films like that I really like...

Why a happy ending? Why not a sad ending that makes us think about life and how lucky we are for being in this world?

Cheers!

Dena Joan said...

You completely ruined the ending for me. :*(

Ace said...

Oh I'm still going to see it with my lady friends. We can hold each other and cry. I actually like when movies aren't all happy and it isn't all sure. I have to say, and I know it's cliche now, but when I first saw Garden State it really was life changing. It made me cry and it made me smile, it still has the same effect on me every single time.

Lindsey said...

I loved watching their relationship fall apart because I could relate to JGL's madness. The ending was a sweet reminder of how endings are just new beginnings disguised. (Eep, sorry to sound like a fortune cookie :p) It's funny, I left the movie feeling happy!

Anna said...

I've been waiting so long to watch this movie! Unfortunatley I can't watch it right away since I'm in china, but I'm going to run to the theatres and watch it asap when I get back to Norway!

Jade said...

i must say atonement changed me quite a bit (like someone has previously said) and also the science of sleep, merely because they only end up together in his dreams <3 which is cute, but very melancholic in a strange way.

actually zooey & josephs other film manic changed me A LOT. it gave me a weird, churning feeling. i didn't love it, or hate it. but it was so damn poignant, espicially that kiss scene (in which i cried in, and i never cry in films)

life is beautiful also made me really sad :(

xxx

I V Y said...

I LOVE YOU BLOG HEADER!

kristen said...

I was really upset by the film too, but I relate to it a lot.

Layolacrayola said...

I love Zooey Deschanel! And I'm waiting anxiously for it to open over here in Singapore!

I loved into the wild, though its not related in anyway to this movie. Its just a good movie that sets you thinking.

Alison Baitz said...

LOVE STORY.

I was in a funk for days.

myers said...

I felt the exact same way.

Kristen DiLandro said...

I had the very same reaction and everyone thought I was exaggerating. No the movie is not profound, cinematic greatness but it is so relatable which makes it hurt. I cried the entire time and reflected on some shitty break-ups. OOOHHH, 500 Days of Summer hurts.

Unknown said...

I found it gut wrenching too!

I felt sick in the stomach when he went to the party... I think it was exasperated by the fact i'm slightly infatuated with Zooey!

It was a really good film though!

Anonymous said...

oh god, well i have seen this film twice (it only recently came out in the uk - so this is belated)
and i cried each time. it really did effect me - more so the first time.
i think because i related to tom so much - in the way he views love (and acts on it etc.) when, at the end when there's the board room meeting and also they are sat on the bench and he talks of how he realises everything he's ever believed in is false.. that got me, there.

Unknown said...

Well, I don't know what it is about this movie that leaves all of us feeling the same way. It definitley leaves you with a melancholy feeling at the end. I only wnated to add that if you want to see a movie is similar in style but with an upbeat feel, I suggest Garden State.