500 Days of Summer is not a love story, and Summer is not a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, even though she is depicted as one in the film. The reason for this is the film’s perspective, and understanding it unlocks what the film is really about.
Credits
Footage from:
500 Days of Summer (2009), Dir. Mark Webb
Garden State (2004), Dir. Zach Braff
Titanic (1997), Dir. James Cameron
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), Dir. James Cameron
Black Swan (2010), Dir. Darren Aronofsky
When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Dir. Rob Reiner
Music From:
500 Days of Summer Soundtrack - Mychael Danna and Rob Simonsen
Sugartown - Nancy Sinatra, Performed by Zooey Deschanel
Titanic Soundtrack - James Horner
Hero - Regina Spektor
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Track
Here Comes Your Man - Pixies, Performed by Joseph Gordon Levitt
Full Transcript:
Hi. My name is Gabe and in this video I’ll be looking into 500 Days of Summer.
Before I start, you should know there are spoilers ahead.
I think this is one of the most misunderstood films in recent years, misunderstood because it did something very powerful that few people seem to have noticed.
From what I’ve seen, people generally reach one of two conclusions about 500 Days of Summer: that Summer is a bitch who treated Tom terribly, or that Tom is an idiot. Additionally, almost everyone thinks Summer is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, regardless of whether or not she is a bitch.
Real quick, if you’ve never heard of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, she is a stock character that has existed for a long time, but was only identified about a decade ago. Basically, she is a quirky, attractive, fun loving gal who is perfect in every way, including perfect for our hero, whom she adores. In addition to this, her main purpose in life is to complete him, she is whatever he needs so he can grow. The character represents a certain wish fulfillment from the writer, someone probably with demons who longs for a girl to complete him. Think Sam in Garden State.
SAM: You know what I do when I feel completely unoriginal? Blah blah blah blah blah lah. I- I make a noise or I do something that no one has ever done before and I feel unique again even if it’s only for like a second.
Yeah…
Oh, and Manic Pixie Dream Boys also exist, but they are much rarer.
So, is Summer a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, or is she a bitch? Is Tom a victim or is he an idiot?
TOM: I think you know what I need.
It’s easy to answer these questions based on our own experiences, but what about what the film itself has to say?
It turns out that hidden under the surface, 500 Days of Summer is doing something very specific, something that answers all these questions and then some. To understand this, we need to look at the film’s perspective.
Because movies are made with cameras and cameras are inherently subjective, movies are inherently subjective as well. There are two ways filmmakers can deal with this: one is to mitigate it and try to make the film as objective as possible, and the other is to use it to their advantage, to use the subjectiveness to make the film better.
500 Days of Summer chooses the latter. Not only that, it does so through only one character. This is in opposition to most romances, which are usually depicted from both the male and female’s perspective. In this film, however, we only experience what Tom experiences.
The film isn’t subtle about this either. Just look at this moment, or this, or this, or this. This last example is particularly powerful, it is Tom’s darkest moment and as such, the color is literally removed from the film.
But it’s not just these more extreme moments, everything in this film takes Tom’s perspective. This is most directly shown in the fact that Tom is in every scene. If Tom isn’t there experiencing the events himself, the scene isn’t in the film.
The cinematography also reflects Tom’s perspective. Los Angeles is depicted much more beautifully than an objective view would show, because Tom is a romantic and that’s how he sees the world. This is especially true when he is with Summer: Tom and Summer’s scenes contain many of the most beautiful shots in the film.
Likewise, the sound design reflects Tom’s perspective, specifically this whistle,
[whistle music]
which occurs whenever Summer inspires Tom, but never the other way around.
Heck even the music represents Tom, sometimes the lyrics literally saying what he is feeling.
LYRICS: I’m the hero of this story, don’t need to be saved. I’m the hero of this story, don’t need to be saved. It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright...
And the title cards reflect him too, the color behind them matching the quality of the day he is having.
But it’s not just structure and technique that are depicted through Tom’s perspective, everything is. Everything, including the other characters. McKenzie is the lovable loser because that’s how Tom sees him. Paul is the loyal friend because that’s how Tom sees him. Vance is the dopey boss because that’s how Tom sees him. Rachel is the relationship expert because that’s how Tom sees her. And most importantly, Summer is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl because that’s how Tom sees her.
Objectively, Summer is not a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. This is because even though she is quirky and fun, she also has her own wants and desires; she doesn’t exist just to complete Tom.
SUMMER: You don’t believe that a woman could enjoy being free and independent?
Tom however, does not see this, he sees her as everything he wants, regardless of her own wants and needs. I mean, listen to how he talks about her,
TOM: I love how she makes me feel.
SUMMER: They said you weren’t coming.
TOM: You asked if I was-
TOM: I know that she’s the only person in the entire universe that will make me happy.
It’s always about him. Even when Summer finally opens up and is vulnerable with Tom,
SUMMER: I’ve never told anybody that before.
it’s still about him, not her.
TOM: Well, I guess I’m not just anybody.
This is a major reason why their relationship fails. Tom doesn’t understand love; he simply sees women as Manic Pixie Dream Girls. Just listen to what he has to say on the matter, him versus Paul, Paul addresses the fantasy dream girl directly,
PAUL: I think technically the girl of my dreams would probably have, like, a really bodacious rack, you know, maybe different hair, she’d probably be a little more into sports. But truthfully, Robin is better than the girl of my dreams. She’s real.
while Tom has nothing to say at all.
But while a lesser film might end here, 500 Days of Summer keeps going, for in the end, this happens.
TOM: Summer! I really do hope that you’re happy.
For the first time, Tom and Summer’s relationship is about her, not him. This is possible because Tom has matured; he no longer sees girls as Manic Pixie Dream Girls. Remember in the beginning, when the narrator says this:
NARRATOR: This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know up front, this is not a love story.
He was right. This isn’t a love story, it is a coming of age film; the film is about Tom becoming an adult, something he did during his 500 Days of Summer. To show it succinctly, compare these moments, one at the beginning of Tom’s relationship with Summer:
PAUL: You could just ask her out.
TOM: Don’t be stupid.
the other at the beginning of his relationship with Autumn:
TOM: I was just wondering if maybe after this, if you’d want to get some coffee or something?
Tom could barely even talk to Summer, and yet he asks Autumn out no problem, and doesn’t even take it personally when she initially rejects him.
So, going back to our original questions: was Tom an idiot? No, he simply had yet to grow up. Was Summer a bitch? Honestly, we don’t know, as we haven’t had even close to an objective view of her. Is Summer a Manic Pixie Dream Girl? Definitely not, that’s simply how Tom saw her, even though she actually was a lot more. But more important than all this, none of these questions are even what the film is about; the film isn’t about Tom and Summer, it’s about Tom, the film isn’t about love, or finding your soulmate, it’s about growing up.
MCKENZIE: Who’s singing next?
SUMMER: I nominate young Werther here.
TOM: I’m not nearly drunk enough to-
SUMMER: Bartender!
[Here comes your man]