500 Days of Summer

I saw this movie with a couple of friends last month, going in expecting another carbon copy of Little Miss Sunshine. However, I walked away truly surprised. The film was visually stunning, beautifully scored, and extremely well acted. Who would've thought that little Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who I watched growing up on 3rd Rock from the Sun, would turn out to have some of the best comedic timing of his generation? What was more incredible than the humor, in my opinion, was the way that director Marc Webb was able to make such a seemingly cheesy concept (a love story told out of order) so likable. This was due in part to the charming Zooey Deschanel, an actress whose work I greatly admire (even her bit part in Bridge to Terabithia, an otherwise atypical sob fest of a Disney movie). She has the singing voice of an indie-folk goddess which makes her that much more elegant in my opinion. The movie showcases her light and airy song (a cover) with collaborator M. Ward Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (their band, She and Him, was THE band to listen to last summer).

What works so well about this movie is the way Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt portray an honest to God chemistry the likes of which have not been seen in a Rom-Com in years. In addition to the movie, the pair filmed a short film (set to She and Him's Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?) for USA Today portraying a bank robber (Gordon-Levitt) and teller (Deschanel) who wind up falling for each other. Clearly the two of them realize the chemistry that they have and use it to its fullest potential.

The one scene that is keeping me from labeling the movie an "instant-classic" is the one in which JGL's character bursts out into song, complete with tweeting animated birds and eloquently choreographed backup dancers who also happen to be everyday people on the street. It seemed way too strained, and instead of coming off as the typical Romantic-Comedy's attempt to one-up the ones that came before it, it falls flat. Apart from this minor qualm, I absolutely loved the movie and highly recommend it to people who are, by now, sick of the typical summer fare.