I meant to blog on the new Zooey Deschanel movie earlier, but alas, time got away from me. My wife and I have been fans of Zooey ever since we saw her rolling her eyes at Buddy the Elf and taking off to pursue an adventurous career as a flight attendant in Almost Famous. So, we we were excited to see (500) Days of Summer as soon as it came out in theaters.
 
500 Days of Summer(500) Days of Summer is a love story for anyone who has ever tried to force love. It's really a tribute to those hopeless romantics who have despairingly fought for something as pure as "true love" in a cynical world. With a soundtrack full of ambient, indie groups and the retro wardrobe that has become one of Zooey's trademarks, the backdrop for a modern love story is set.
 
The story is told in a sort of Tarantino-esque manner (think Pulp Fiction meets When Harry Met Sally), jumping around randomly from Day 1 to 357 in this 500-day tale of love, heartache, and confusion. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and Zooey Deschanel act as foils to one other's strong opinions about finding "the one." Summer Finn (Deschanel) doesn't believe in love, doesn't want to settle down, and doesn't want to "be someone's anything" (i.e. girlfriend, wife, etc.). Tom Hansen (Gordon-Leavitt) does, and he sets out to convince Summer that she does, too.
 
The irony of the two characters' relationship is that Summer's ambivalence towards love convinces the greeting-card-writing Tom that maybe "true love" isn't as true as he thought, and Tom's passion leads Summer to discover how real love can truly be -- even in a postmodern culture that oozes with skepticism.
 
In an interview, Deschanel called Gordon-Leavitt's character "sophomoric," but I found myself empathizing with him. In a world that is obsessed with pragmatism and "whatever works," there is a bit of "naivete" in me that cries out for justice, truth, and yes, even love. Maybe Tom believes in those things not because they're true, but because they're worth believing in. His heart-breaking episode with a girl who doesn't know what she wants (and keeps calling him "a friend") leads him to feel disillusioned about life, love, and even himself.
 
Ultimately, Tom wises up, in the process of a painful emotional roller-coaster, learning the "truth" about love. However, at nearly the last moment, Summer still has something priceless to teach him about love -- something that he, in fact, taught her.
 
(500) Days of Summer was an enjoyable movie, because, in a way, we've all "been there" before. We've all liked someone more than he or she has liked us. We've all waited for a nod, a smile, even the smallest gesture that we can interpret however we want. We've all read into words, hearing what we hope to hear. And many of us have regretfully been crushed by reality.
 
My wife cried out of frustration at this movie's treatment of love and relationships. She felt like a great injustice had been done, and I think that's the point. Ultimately, the movie ends on a redemptive, yet unresolved, note. I walked away from it feeling reflective and hopeful, remembering the pain of past relationships and grateful for true, albeit sometimes messy, love.
 
Most young people live in a tension between what is real and what should be. Coming to grips with this paradox, I believe, is what growing up is all about. In (500) Days of Summer, Tom faces the decision we all have (with our jobs, passions, relationships) -- to somehow believe in that which is worth believing, even when reality slams into what should be. On the other hand, Summer, already embittered by the "real world," has a chance to once again believe that anything is possible -- even love.
 
At its best, this film speaks to that "something" in us that wants love and at the same time doubts it. At its worst, 500 Days appeals to the unhealthy views of love in our culture that relegate it to sexuality or a mere feeling. Tom and Summer meet in the middle of the tension, as do most of us, which is what makes this such a great film. If nothing else, it will leave you thinking about your own thoughts on what it means to truly love and be loved, especially when reality makes it seem impossible.
 
Do you believe in true love? Why or why not?