There must be a handbook out there for directors making indie drama films. A list of things you must have to ensure it succeeds: a misunderstood and lonely hero (Garden State, Juno, Thumbsucker), a young lady with offbeat humour and dress sense (Eternal Sunshine on a Spotless Mind, Garden State), non-linear story telling (Reservoir Dogs, Eternal Sunshine on a Spotless mind), young people spouting wisdom well beyond their years (Juno, Ghost World) and, of course, an indie music infused soundtrack (Garden state, Juno, High Fidelity, Almost Famous). In his first feature length film, director Marc Webb seems to hit every single on of these ’indie movie staples’. Does it make it a bad film? Definitely not. This film is actually all the better for it.

(500) Days of Summer follows greeting card writer Tom Hansen (that guy from 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gorden-Levitt) as he goes through a 500 day love affair with Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). It moves from day one, when he first meets and falls for her, back and forth through their 500 days of relationship. It goes through the highs and lows of relationships and how people affect one another.

It’s probably not a spoiler, as the name of the movie tells us the length of the relationship, not to mention that this isn’t your typical ’boy meets girl, they fall in love, live happily ever after’ movie. Which frankly, is a nice change from most Hollywood productions. It has romance, it has comedy, but I would not consider this in any way to be a rom-com movie. Despite that it does fall into some of the trappings of the genre, including not one but two long speeches about the nature of love and what that should mean to us. But unlike many typical Hollywood rom-coms it actually has something different to say in those speeches.

"Will we get more ’indie movie props’ if we include a record store?"

Stylistically, the direction is great. By moving back and forth through the story, rather then telling it linearly, Webb is able to show how reactions to similar actions and discussions are played out, depending on where the relationship is at. The fun and playfulness of the early relationship is juxtaposed against the bitterness and annoyance of those same actions, during the worst parts of the relationships. I’m sure most people can in some way relate to the idea that in a dying relationships, the actions and quirks that first endeared you to the person become some of those things that drive you away from them.

Additionally, Webb uses other abnormal techniques to tell the story. Occasionally he will drop into a black and white interview with the characters. Or shift the background from real life to drawings, to match Tom’s love of architecture. In one brilliant scene the director splits the scene, showing both Tom’s expectations of an event, and the reality of that event, giving the viewer a clear idea of what Tom wants, and how he viewed the world.

The casting of these roles was really well done. Both of the main actors fall into their roles as if made for them, to the point in which you actually feel like they aren’t acting and that these are what the actors are like in real life. They feel like real people, people that you know from university or high school. The supporting characters also feel real, without falling into the mundane. Tom’s younger sister can grate on the nerves occasionally, as the ’young kid with wisdom beyond her years’ character, especially as many of her lines are there only to get Tom to move the story along.

The soundtrack is great, using artist such as The Smiths, Regina Spektor and The Clash to confirm that indie cred.

Overall, a great movie, one definitely worth watching. But I’m not sure I would recommend seeing it in cinemas. ’What? You said it was a great film’ you say! Cinemas are an expensive thing to go nowadays, and while this movie is a good one, it doesn’t gain anything from being on a 50ft screen. Watching it at home, on DVD or Blu-ray, you will get the same experience, without the cost. So the film critic in me says go watch now, but the fiscal responsibility part of me says wait for the DVD release.

8 out of 10