500 Days of Summer is one of the best indie films produced in Hollywood, especially if you're looking for a romantic delight and "hugot" feels. It is the "That Thing Called Tadhana" of Hollywood in 2009, which makes an appealing debut not just only in America, but the whole world. Today marks its 6th birthday, and I'm "on the feels" to reminisce the story of Tom Hansen, the story of a boy meets girl. The boy who grew up believing that he'd never truly be happy until the day he met his... "soulmate".
The story of this movie is about two people who met, had a great relationship while it lasted but sadly they're not each other's destiny as you called it. The first time I watched it, I found it as a story of two people who fell in love with each other but destiny doesn't last on them. But as I watched it again, I found it as a story of an obnoxious hopeless romantic who turned into a depressed funk who forgot his direction in life, mopes on the days after the breakup which he finds hard to move forward, but eventually has moved on along the way.
The strengths of this movie is that we really felt sorry for Tom after his romantic affair with Summer. There are moments when I feel sorry for him, especially the first time I have watched this movie. And this also made me appreciate Tom more when this scenario seems so familiar to me. And Tom is the loser of this story. There are times when I laughed at him because of his grieving for an inappropriate length of time, but as I realize his situation, I began questioning myself "Am I acting like that?" because suddenly Tom's mopping seemed all too familiar for comfort.
Sadly, Tom has to accept that Summer is not the "one", not his destiny and that he needs to move on on his life, which is hard for him. This is one of the unique concept of this film which is quite different from the usual romantic comedy movies.
Unfortunately, for me Tom is not the only one to blame why this story came to what it used to be.
Many even criticized Tom for having unrealistic thoughts and expectations from Summer in the beginning. After all, Summer already warned him that she didn't believe in love and she didn't want a relationship. What Tom did which most up us do why we ended being hurt is we always assume and expect. Tom put an unrealistic expectation from Summer and wants her to be someone that she wasn't. The fact that he haven't seen beyond that marks his own fault. Sometimes, I cannot help but think that Summer gave the motive on why it leads onto this which makes her a kind of fucking jerk.
Obviously and unquestionably, Tom is the responsible from his own heartbreak. Summer told him that she didn't believe in love, doesn't want a relationship and and just wanted a "casual one". Tom agreed to her conditions, but what he overlooked is that it's hard not to develop a strong attachment for her, especially on the level of their "kind of relationship", which also Summer took for granted.
Summer is dishonest about her feelings, who just wanted to reap the benefits of a romantic relationship without committing to anything until she was sure about her feelings about Tom. It's very unfair and insensitive for her to invite Tom to a party, wherein Tom made another expectation despite moving on. Insensitive for her to introduce Tom to the man whom she never thought she will fall in love in a short period of time.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT LEADING SOMEONE ON, EVEN UNINTENTIONALLY, IS NOT A NICE THING TO DO REGARDLESS OF FEELINGS, RELATIONSHIPS AND ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF WHATEVER MOVE WE WILL DO.
The best thing about this movie is that their unrealistic expectations from each other doesn't gave them a happy ending. But still they didn't end up in bitterness or hate. They were permanently separated by fate and destiny and learned to move on with their own lives. Time heals everything. Both of them found their happiness in a matter of time. I wish every story leads to that. And I hope I can find my Autumn.
*In the end, Tom decided to focus on his career. He applied for a job in an architectural firm and pursue what he loves to do and there he met Autumn. Summer is over. Tom and I have something in common. Both of us were architects.Both met the Summer of their lives. And that is the reason why Tom will be one of the characters I will never forget.
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