The film began with a clever and charming split screen montage set to Regina Spektor's "Us" An indie soundtrack and atypical cinematography definitely resonated through the film. This music placement was a little overbearing. disarming even. It almost read like a diet coke product placement in a summer released high budget action movie. It was a little contrived when the Smiths and Belle and Sebastian's names were "dropped". It cheapened the experience. I think it would it have been more genuine if CD jackets where obtusely left on coffee tables and posters managed to make the way into the shot every now and again. In this romantic comedy, music didn't just set the tone but rather starred in a supporting role.. Overt music references aside, I did love the fact that protagonist Tom was always listen to his ipod on transit, at work, when walking and when he was at home :) I also particularly enjoyed the precarious Henry Miller reference.
Early in the film hopeless-romantic-Tom and cynical-Summer's opinions of love were juxtaposed against each other. I immediately identified with Tom's pro-love stance and began to brace myself for the impeding heartache he would suffer and my subsequent tears. I liked this. I find that I can always relate to male leads more so than female. I like to listen to male fronted bands, and read books with male protagonists. I'm sexist. I also like to cry in movie theaters. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach for Tom as he placed his fragile heart in the hands of someone who would surely break it. It startles me the amount I can empathize with fictional characters; I swear that for an hour and a half I actually felt the emotions Tom felt. There was one instance at a roof top garden party where my tears were literally leaping from my eyeballs and making the suicidal plummet towards my blouse.
I think that the most striking part of the film was at the very end when the narrator stated that "most days are unremarkable". He went on to, in so many words, justify this assertion but I just didn't agree. I've always thought that many aspects of each of my days are quite remarkable. I just looked up remarkable in the dictionary. and it defines it as "worthy of attention or striking". striking, I JUST said that. I think that maybe for some people daily life is unremarkable. I guess my expectations are low. It must not take much to impress me? I've always been a watcher. I'm always listening. I sat in the dark cool theatre, mostly paying attention to 500 Days of Summer, but a small part of my conscious mind was enjoying the elderly couple in front of me. straining to hear what they we're whispering to one another, eavesdropping on what they found remarkable about the movie we were watching. the devil is in the details and if you aren't looking, if you aren't listening, you are going to miss it.
to me, seeing movies by myself on sunny days at awkward 5:10 showings happens to be remarkable.
