7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Tom, greeting-card writer and hopeless romantic, is caught completely off-guard when his girlfriend, Summer, suddenly dumps him. He reflects on their 500 days together to try to figure out where their love affair went sour, and in doing so, Tom rediscovers his true passions in life.
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend, Chloë Grace Moretz, Matthew Gray GublerRomance | 100% |
Drama | 87% |
Comedy | 56% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Thai
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
At least, so claims (500) Days of Summer’s narrator, who is actually throwing us a big old red herring. What he really means is that this is not a love story in the traditional rom-com vein, where love surmounts all manner of wacky conflicts and misunderstandings and where the complexities of real-life relationships are buried under a heap of sugary sentiments. No, (500) Days of Summer is a love story, it just isn’t a tidy one, and it certainly doesn’t end with a freeze frame of a happy couple kissing on a beach or dancing down the aisle. Instead, it documents love’s incessant uncertainties, its obsessions and longings, its birth labors and death pangs. Lest this sound too serious, it’s also a frequently hilarious comedy. But like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind—the contemporary film closest in tone to (500) Days—the humor here is in the service of the wrenching drama at hand, and not the other way around. The boy-meets- girl, boy-loses-girl story is jubilant but heartrending, and should resonate with anyone who has ever pined through the rise and fall of their own holy romance empire. And while we’ve all seen these kinds of films before, (500) Days of Summer differentiates itself with an effectively non- linear narrative, making the film the chronicle of a breakup foretold, a book of unrequited love where the last page is read first.
Day 4: Boy finds out Girl likes The Smiths. Instantaneous love.
(500) Days of Summer shines on Blu-ray with a 2.40:1 framed, 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that's impossible not to fall for. Just as in a relationship, it is sometimes easy to find visual shortcomings in the transfer of a film that you love, so you may notice that (500) Days isn't exactly the sharpest contemporary film available on Blu-ray. That's not to say it's dull, because fine detail is definitely more than adequate—see the tight focus on Zooey's eyelashes, for example— but the overall look is a little soft at times. (Though, I'd have to say flatteringly so, and in a way that totally suits the feeling of the story.) That said, this is a gorgeously shot film, with a very deliberate color palette that's almost devoid of primaries, but presents instead a kind of creamy spectrum that reminds me of an old Polaroid. With few exceptions, the image is comprised of neutral tones like off-whites, beiges, and grays, and whenever Summer is present, the film allows a few bold splashes of blue to match her big, beautiful eyes. Black levels are nice and tight while preserving plenty of detail in the shadows—see Tom's black hoodie—and the well-tuned contrast gives the image a pleasing sense of depth and presence. Fine grain is readily apparent, though minimal, and even the windowboxed sections shot on 16mm look great. Finally, cuddled up on a 50GB dual-layer disc, there are no compression issues or other anomalies to ruin the mood.
No one expects a romantic comedy to have brain-melting dynamics, whiz-bang-pow cross-channel sound effects, or foundation-shaking bouts of LFE rumble. Usually the best you can hope for is expertly prioritized dialogue, a natural and convincing soundstage, and music that's tight, detailed, and carries a little bit of heft in the low end. And that's exactly what (500) Days of Summer's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track delivers. For the most part, this is a front- heavy presentation, with balanced, easily intelligible voices carrying on life-altering conversations in the center channel. The surround speakers, however, do get some occasional action in the form of city street and office building ambience, along with a few discrete effects like Tom's sister's bicycle whizzing from left to right. The sound design isn't particularly immersive or engaging, but it is perfectly acceptable for this kind of film, and it's aided by a terrific selection of music. Both the score and the ample pop songs sound excellent, with a clean, articulate, but not overly bright presence, and solid bass.
Commentary by Director Marc Webb, Writer Michael Weber, Writer Scott Neustadter, and
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt
This is one of the most light-hearted, entertaining, and insightful tracks I've heard in a while. The
three participants keep it loose, and there's no lack of enthusiasm about the project. If you like
commentaries and you liked (500) Days of Summer, this is a must-listen.
Last Days of Summer: Deleted and Extended Scenes (1080i, 14:42 total)
Usually I'm pretty ambivalent about deleted scenes, but I was quite taken with the nine included
here, especially the one that shows Tom's worst morning ever. Available with optional
commentary by Director Marc webb, writer Michael Weber, writer Scott Neustadter, and actor
Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Not a Love Story: Making (500) Days of Summer (1080i, 29:21)
This Blu-ray exclusive documentary is a comprehensive look at the film's production, with a
special emphasis on the thought that went into the cinematography, costuming, and set design.
Features interviews with director Marc Webb, writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, and
many others. Of course, it ends with each participant saying of few words about their thoughts
on love.
Summer at Sundance (1080i, 13:46)
Here we go to Park City, Utah and follow director Marc Webb around Robert Redford's Sundance
Film Festival and eventually to (500) Days of Summer's premiere, where it received a
standing ovation.
Audition Tapes (SD)
Includes brief tapes for Geoffrey Arend (4:23) and Matthew Gray Gubler (2:38), with optional
commentary by director Marc Webb.
Summer Storyboards (SD)
Two storyboard sequences are included here, Summer Effect (1:36) and
Reality/Expectations (1:55). By pressing the "angle" button on your remote you can
switch between storyboards and a storyboard to film comparison. Available with optional
commentary by director Marc Webb.
Bank Dance Directed by Marc Webb (SD, 4:18)
A music video for one of Zooey D's songs, shot inside one of the banks that was robbed in Set
It Off.
Mean's Cinemash: "Sid and Nancy / (500) Days of Summer" (1080p,
3:28)
This is pretty funny. Playing off the Sid and Nancy reference in the film, director Marc
Webb put together this little mash-up, which features Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing Nancy, in a
bad wig, and Zooey Deschanel as Sid, with a not-so-bad Cockney accent.
Music Video: Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap (SD, 4:01)
I don't care if the song is featured in the film, this is a terrible music video, which apes 2001:
A Space Odyssey and The Fountain, and, no kidding, features a girl in a gold jump
suit rollerblading through outer space.
Conversations with Zooey and Joseph (SD, 12:26 total)
In these brief conversational promos, Zooey and Joseph talk about acting versus reality, the
creative process, their favorite spots in L.A., Los Angeles in general, karaoke, and
music.
Filmmaking Specials (SD)
First up are four brief Behind (500) Days of Summer featurettes, in which director Marc
Webb talks about casting Zooey and Joe (2:07), the "Summer Effect" (1:35), the French film
references (00:58), and the intentional color palette (1:11). Next, we have two segments of
Fox Movie Channel Presents, In Character with Zooey Deschanel (2:38) and
In Character with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3:08).
Trailers
Includes high definition trailers for Amelia, Fame, and Adam.
It's truly rare for a romantic comedy to side skirt cliché, avoid sentimentality, and deliver a genuinely affecting story, but (500) Days of Summer pulls it off with convincing performances and style to spare. This is certainly one of the best romantic films of the year— precisely because it's about love's messy aftermath—and, speaking from personal experience, it's one of those few rom-coms that will equally entertain husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends. Just don't watch it with someone you're on the verge of breaking up with, because it could possibly tip you over the edge. But maybe that's a good thing. Either way, (500) Days of Summer comes highly recommended.
Alternative Cover
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2009
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2009
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