500 Days of Summer

Here's something about independent films that really drives me batshit; when they ADVERTISE that they are independent by the soundtrack.
"Oh, you like The Smiths?" asks Summer.
"Oh yeah, The Smiths are awesome."
Thus begins the constant plug for indie music through this indie film. Instead of the soundtrack adding to the scenes, it comes across as a vehicle for showing off how hip they are for name dropping. It's also on shirts, and on walls.
Another big question I have is why the HELL do so many movies want to use VO narration when it's not needed?! This time, it's even more mysterious. I don't know who the hell the narrator is in this movie. Or why it's even there, because it didn't do much to explain the unexplainable. It's just an intrusion.

As for the actual events that occur through the movie, I was actually hoping for more. Fans are ranting and raving about the beauty of this "gem". Well, I'll have to disagree. I can't pinpoint just one thing, or even a few that would define the main reason behind my lack of enthusiasm. I just wasn't... inspired. It plays in non-sequential order, usually with a really "clever" ploy of showing a happy day (53) and him smiling to him NOT smiling at the same spot on an unhappy day (194). At first it might have been cute, but it's a repeatedly overused process that grows tiring after the first half hour. The last half of the movie spends more time with Tom (Levitt) wallowing in "poor me, poor me" anguish than doing anything productive. I couldn't feel all that sorry for him. Breaking up is a difficult and sorrowful process, but I don't respect people who do what they can to immerse themselves in wallowing anguish for more than a week. After that, stop being a childish prick and start LIVING. Linger on the pain, sure, but don't drown yourself in it. I don't want to watch a movie in which the sole purpose of the story is to show the main character being immature. It's ok if it is a SIDE character, or if there's more to the story than just breakup misery.
The conclusion reaches an inevitable series of events. The narrator also wastes my time with stupid-assed cheap philosophy about "fate", "Coincidence" and a few other pretentious words. And a hot chick with a stupid name.

I would be lying if I said that I hated 500 Days. It just wasn't all that good. I laughed a few times, and thought overall it was watchable. It's just annoying in how hard it screams "I'm an indie flick!" and plugs indy songs like it was obligated to show off how "hip" it is. I also grew tired of the gimmicky cleverness of it all, with an ultimate feeling of being cheated. It wants so hard to be something more than what it is, which is an average LOVE STORY.

GRADE: C-