Blog Assignment #8

I'm sorry it's partially in Spanish...

STEP TWO:

While 500 Days of Summer has many themes, but one of the main ones that I pick up on is how your expectations do not always meet reality. Tom has so much hope and love in his relationship with Summer in the beginning, but by the end, the reality is that they are not together, will not be together, and Summer has moved on. As this is not a movie for children, the theme is very active, since most over the age of 14 have some experience (no matter how seemingly insignificant) with failed romantic hopes. This scene is all about expectations vs. reality, as the screen is even split down the middle to show each of these instances.

STEP THREE:

Line is of HUGE importance in this scene. Besides continually directing the viewer to both the faces of Tom and Summer, the biggest thing that it does is separate expectations from reality. The stark line down the center represents the stark difference that expectations may have from reality. Tom goes up there intending to win Summer back, and in the beginning of the scene, even though the screen is split, the images are very similar. You think, yeah that’s what’s gonna happen, they’re gonna fall back in love. But as the scene moves on and you see one side spiral into a less happy ending, you know it’s the reality. You just KNOW. They don’t have to tell you because you know from your own personal baggage that sometimes that’s the real reality—life is not a sappy chick flick.

Movement is also key in the scene as it is what keeps the scene going along, and allows it to get away without much dialogue, making it more artistic and sink in. After all, sometimes when you’re in a situation where your expectations do not meet reality, it doesn’t even seem real—like it’s moving so fast, and your just staying still (which as the viewer, you are).

The combination of this scene allow it to be an active, not didactic movie, as the theme is illustrated artfully, but not shoved down our throats. This contrast that we learned from week one is supplemented by another contrast from week one: Tension and release. From the moment reality splits from expectations you just want the scene to be over—for Tom’s sake. You want the awful tension and heart sickness he’s been feeling to be over. So when he walks out and becomes animated in the street and is no longer “real” you breathe a sigh of relief, because for right now, his tragedy is over. These contrasts reflect the scene.