In an age of rampant romantic-comedies, it’s fun to both hate and binge these cinematic pastries. Light on the brain and warming to the soul, the chick flick genre fills a junk food-like need. Well, before the days of Hallmark releasing a dozen+ Christmas movies every winter, there was one ‘rom-com’ that dared to stray from the formula. (500) Days of Summer. This indie-style flick features the rise and fall of a relationship between two twenty-somethings (Tom and Summer). The film is cleverly shot out of sequence, bouncing viewers from day 300 to day 30 of the romance. (And yet, the continuity of the story and the revelations feel perfectly sequential.) In this tale, hopeless romantic Tom projects his desire for a soulmate onto the commitment-phobic Summer. And thus, his endeavor is doomed from the start.
I’m 99% sure I haven’t spoiled anything. This quirky 2009 movie was a rousing hit. The A-list leads, several awards/nominations, and devoted fanbase attest to its success. Looking back on this film though, I am surprised to see that these same fans have developed not just a dislike, but almost a hatred for Tom.
……………………
Why?
While the movie is touted as only being told from Tom’s filter, I never saw this story as a traditional protagonist vs. antagonist epic. To me, the pros and cons of both leads were well, pretty glaring. Neither character is saintly and both fumble in the dark as they look for a balance between what they want and what they know to be true. So why is Tom the convicted one? (He’s even been formally convicted by the actor who portrayed him.) Well since we’re denied Summer’s first-hand perspective, it’s easier to give her grace. But I don’t understand why this absolves her of any responsibility.
Let’s look at the facts. Summer’s character is praised for her brutal honesty. She repeatedly tells Tom that she doesn’t want a serious relationship. And Tom is dragged through the proverbial mud for forcing himself on an uninterested woman. And if Summer had friend-zoned him, then yes, I could get behind loathing Tom. But that wasn’t the case. Summer verbally expressed her independence while kissing him (first!), holding his hand in public, and initiating sloppy shower sex. And all of this happened after she knew his stance on love and relationships. Tom clearly didn’t read between the lines, but wasn’t Summer equally dense?
Now, this is not an attempt to launch a #TeamTom campaign. And I don’t think Summer is a villain for trying something that didn’t work out. That’s life. But she still participated. On some level, she was exploring the possibility of a future. And if she truly just wanted a friend with benefits, there were plenty of other available guys not defending the validity of love.
I just think that it’s time we viewed the story for what it is. A realistic portrayal of two humans realizing that they both have some room to grow before they can be in a healthy romantic relationship with anyone, let alone each other.
Let’s not forget about the gray filter on our own lenses.
To Each His Own 