(500) Days of Summer (2009)
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A man navigates the complexities of a non-linear romance over the course of 500 days.
The story
Aspiring architect Tom Hansen works as a writer at a greeting card company in Los Angeles. He meets Summer Finn, his boss's new assistant, and the two bond over their shared musical tastes. Their connection leads to a casual relationship, but as the months pass, the nature of their bond becomes unclear. Told through a non-linear narrative, the story follows Tom as he navigates the highs and lows of their relationship while struggling with his own perceptions of love and his professional aspirations in the world of architecture.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Tom Hansen, an aspiring architect working at a greeting card company in Los Angeles, enters a relationship with his colleague Summer Finn. The film uses a non-linear structure to depict their 500 days together. They share a bond over music and a shared belief in certain values, but their relationship becomes strained as Summer's feelings remain ambiguous. After a period of conflict, Summer ends the relationship. Tom falls into a depression, eventually quitting his job and reflecting on his obsession with the 'idea' of her. He eventually rededicates himself to architecture. The film concludes with a final meeting at a park bench where Summer, now married, explains their romantic incompatibility. On a subsequent day, Tom meets a new woman named Autumn while interviewing for an architectural position.
- First release year
- 2009
- Runtime (minutes)
- 95
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Marc Webb
- Writers
- Scott Neustadter · writer; Michael H. Weber · writer
- Cast and characters
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt · Tom; Zooey Deschanel · Summer
- Genres
- romantic comedy-drama; coming-of-age
- Themes
- unrequited love; subjective perception; coming of age
- Tone and mood
- offbeat; honest; charming
- Premise and plot tags
- non-linear narrative; romance; independent film
- Source material / true-story basis
- real romance
- Reception
- The film received positive reception from critics, was hailed as a cult classic, and was praised for its originality and performances.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 86% · scale: percentage · review count: 230; Metacritic · score: 76 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Awards and nominations
- Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · Golden Globe Awards · nomination; Best Actor – Musical or Comedy · Golden Globe Awards · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's title and structure are based on a real romance experienced by co-writer Scott Neustadter.; The character of Summer was designed as a 'stock character type' by director Marc Webb.; The film was originally set in San Francisco before being moved to Los Angeles.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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