(500) Days of Summer: The Anti-Romantic Comedy (Part Four)

In my last semester of college, I completed a writing portfolio entitled "Exploring Modern American Culture through Contemporary Cinema." It contained four essays dissecting four recent films. The second of those essays discussed Marc Webb's 2009 romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer. The fourth and final part of that essay is below. I will post a new portfolio excerpt every day. Next up: Steven Spielberg's presidential biopic Lincoln. Previous posts: The Dark Knight - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four; (500) Days of Summer - Part One, Part Two, Part Three. 

(500) Days of Summer: The Anti-Romantic Comedy

American Attitudes: Cynicism and Idealism

One of the most interesting things about (500) Days of Summer’s gender role reversal is how it puts a spotlight on the main characters’ conflicting outlooks. When it comes to romance, Tom is an idealist, while Summer is a cynic. He believes love is the key to happiness; she says relationships are not worth it because they are “messy and people’s feelings get hurt” (Webb). These viewpoints have been in movies before, but not often at the same time. Even rarer is a gender-reversed idealist-cynic couple in a romantic comedy. The abnormality of Tom and Summer’s relationship helps to draw attention to their views. In fact, there are points when the film clearly recognizes the peculiarity of its main characters. For example, in an early scene at a karaoke bar, Summer expresses her distaste for dating to Tom and his friend McKenzie (Geoffrey Arend), saying she does not want a boyfriend. McKenzie does not believe it and mockingly asks her if she is a lesbian. After she explains her views further – how she values independence and wants to avoid possible pain – McKenzie declares “You’re a dude!” (Webb) In this scene, McKenzie may be like audience members, surprised at the deviation from the gender norm and wanting an explanation.

(500) Days of Summer’s unusual characterizations serve two similar purposes: reflection of and commentary on widespread attitudes and shifting values in the United States. This was not unintentional. In a video interview, Joseph Gordon-Levitt called the movie “genuine,” and Zooey Deschanel said that with the movie, they were trying to make something that seemed real and relatable. In doing so, they disregarded old ideas about gender. As Deschanel says in the video, “with our generation… those gender roles aren’t something that really can apply anymore” because ideas about love and marriage have changed (Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt). According to the actress, there is no longer the notion in society that marriage must occur, that settling down is a necessary part of life. This leads to the question “What keeps people together?” (500) Days of Summer is an exploration of that question (Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt).

On one hand, there is Summer. To her, nothing can ensure a lasting relationship. Tom asks her for consistency, saying “I need to know that you’re not going to wake up in the morning and feel differently” (Webb). She tells him she cannot give him that and that “nobody can” (Webb). Summer is representative of a large part of the nation’s population that is pessimistic about love. As discussed before, the movie’s opening scenes tie her attitude to divorce. This has cultural resonance as 40 percent of Americans think marriage is obsolete, according a poll by the Pew Research Center (Luscombe). This is partially because of high divorce rates and partially because of changing ideas about family and marriage. While many still respect the institution, marriage is “just not as necessary as it used to be” (Luscombe). Things that were once taboo – like extramarital sex or having children out of wedlock – are more accepted now. Concerning gender expectations, women have gained the freedom to choose. Females do not have to depend on men financially, and they do not have a moral obligation to get married. They also do not have to stay married; it is estimated that two-thirds of all divorces are initiated by women (Luscombe). In (500) Days of Summer, the title character personifies this changed culture. Summer does not need or want romance, love, or marriage. She likes being on her own as a “free and independent” woman, a preference she shares with many real Americans (Webb).

On the other end of the spectrum is Tom, a firm believer in true love. His love-conquers-all ideas are much more traditional than Summer’s preference for flexibility. He is focused on labels, long-term commitment, and fate. He is not alone. Recent years have “seen the rise of the $40 billion-plus wedding industry” (Luscombe). Even with many people opting out of the institution of marriage, millions of Americans still want to make the trip down the aisle. Though he never actually talks of marrying Summer, Tom seems to be one of them. He is smitten with dreams of true love that lasts forever. His romantic ambitions are interestingly tied to media influence, and not just from The Graduate. As noted before, Tom and Summer have a mutual affinity for The Smiths, a band famous for its romanticized songs about longing, failed relationships, and love. Based on Tom’s previous impressionability, it is not unreasonable to think he is still susceptible to media influence. The film seems to support the notion that Tom’s ideals are tied to pop culture, as it is filled with references to a variety of movies, songs, and celebrities. Tom himself acknowledges this connection. Feeling pessimistic after Summer breaks up with him, he blames pop culture for giving people hope and quits his job at the greeting card company. Underneath his dramatic conclusion, there may be a grain of truth. In the real world, research has suggested that romantic media have the ability “to cultivate idealistic or even unrealistic beliefs” (Hefner and Wilson 151). In (500) Days of Summer, such media definitely have an ideological impact.

                                                                Conclusion

With all its subtle and overt messages about love in the 21st century, (500) Days of Summer is a valuable tool for examining current perceptions of romantic relationships. It deviates from Hollywood’s romantic comedy formula in favor of a more realistic storytelling approach. The film weighs romanticism, a prominent feature in American culture, against growing cynicism. As a result, it becomes a relatable piece of fiction that illustrates real-world concerns and beliefs. Audience members may see themselves in Tom, a heartsick romantic clinging to his idealized view of love. Or maybe they are more like Summer, avoiding relational commitment and trying to have fun while she is young. Whether viewers are Toms or Summers or someone in between, it is likely that their beliefs can be found in (500) Days of Summer.

Sources

Deschanel, Zooey, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. “500 DAYS OF SUMMER ROUNDTABLE PT. 3” Youtube.  GeekTyrant, Jul 2009. Web. 28 Oct. 2009. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tkfUPKmpzY>

Hefner, Veronica, and Barbara J. Wilson. "From Love at First Sight to Soul Mate: The Influence of Romantic Ideals in Popular Films on Young People's Beliefs about Relationships." Communication Monographs. 80.2 (2013): 150-75. Print.

Luscombe, Belinda. "Who Needs Marriage? A Changing Institution." TIME Magazine. 18 Nov 2010: n. page. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Webb, Marc, dir. (500) Days of Summer. Perf. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Wir. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2009. Film. 20 Oct 2013.