(500) jours ensemble

Wonderful movie. From the trailer it may appear like your typical boringly predictable romantic comedy, but in reality is a great comedy-drama, with great meaning and relevance, and an amazing twist.

Clever plot - not at all predictable, and very original. Direction is equally innovative, switching between different periods of time deftly, seamlessly and to the betterment of the movie.

The choice of lead actors was inspired. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are superb in the lead roles. The chemistry is spot-on, and both are suitably quirky and non-mainstream, avoiding it becoming a common-or-garden shmaltzy romance.

Topping it all off is a superb soundtrack. The music, excellent in isolation, is integrated perfectly into the movie, and is not overdone.

A must-see.

A light and realistic approach to an unhealthy relationship between two young people, each with their own frustrations, expectations and difficulties in communicating honestly with their partner.

Don't expect much comedy, nor much romance or wise messages, which, apart from the narrator, seem to be exclusive to women in this film. Even an 11-year-old girl is smarter than any man, which seems to be forced for comedy purposes.

Still, there is a very good message that the film addresses more than once: the importance of being honest with others and with ourselves.

Overall, it is a very enjoyable film to watch, with great music, innovative back-and-forth directing and nice colours / photography.

I don't regularly comment on movies, but this has a personal accord with me.

My girlfriend of one year broke up with me the day before I went to watch this film, as promised.

That being said, Tom (Joseph Gordon Levit) embodies my apathy and frustration in every mannerism. He allows the audience to feel his pain and disappointment. Tom is a man with boyish ideals, coming to terms with the grief of rejection. He teaches her how one loves, yet she never learns to except and give as selflessly. Probably because, as I and Tom have painfully learned, you can't teach or bequile someone as you would a child into doing love 'properly.' And sometimes, true love dies, and no sea of tears can change that.

Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel, is fun, beautiful and selfish. Undoubtedly the villain, the film seeks a reversal of standards; the male is now being preyed upon.

Is Tom naive? or is Summer a cruel and self interested girl?

The only thing that really bothered me was the director's incessant need to punctuate scenes of emotional substance with cliché romantic comedy relief. He already broke custom, why conform?

Greetings again from the darkness. The narrator warns us upfront ... this is not a love story. Still, we are so preconditioned by Hollywood, that directive merely floated around in my head until near the end of the film when I realized it was perfectly accurate.

Joseph Gordon-Levit and Zooey Deschanel are the leads and each bring a certain quirkiness and sensitivity to their roles. Watching them grow as a couple just never quite clicks for the viewer the way it does for JGL's character. He buys in hook, line and sinker and believes his destiny for love is being fulfilled by Summer (Zooey).

Director Marc Webb throws a bit of everything at us - just to prove this is not a traditional love story. We get the fun of memory blender - flashbacks like Day 488, Day 2, Day 159 - well you get the point. That is how most of us remember anyway: non-linear. We also get a funny musical number in the park, a b & w Bergmanesque dramatization, and a leading man whose poetic musings are limited to his writing quips for a greeting card company. Oh, he also takes love advice from his 11 year old soccer-playing sister (Chloe Moretz), but wisely declines most of it from his best friend played by sexist, drunken (and funny) co-worker, Geoffrey Arend.

What I really like about the film is that it is different, yet very realistic. So often our "dream" girl is just not quite a fit in this world, yet she and the next guy are just right. Doesn't seem fair, but in reality, it is not only fair, but perfectly just. And remember, there is always another season ... maybe Autumn?

Who is Mark Webb? Anyone? Anyone? It is an astonishing piece of work for a first time feature film director. He counts with a beautifully crafted screenplay and two sensational leading performances and that's where the success of this comedy resides. Jodseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are two startling originals with a winning screen presence and a brain, yes, a brain. I was involved in their peculiar relationship because there isn't a hint of shallowness in their back and fourth. I believe it, completely, and when you sit in the dark and believe what you see on the screen, things are going to happen to you the way that happened to me. It is again a confirmation that treating your audience with respect will pay off somewhere along the line. I love Zooey Deschanel, she reminds me of some my favorites of the past without looking or sounding like anybody else. And Joseph Gordon Levitt, well, this young man is something else. He projects a humanity that doesn't need to be embellished. It's just there for us to dive into. Marvelous actor, marvelous performance, marvelous film. I'm so thrilled to be able to say that.