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500 Days of Summer

500 Days of Summer

Date: Sep 02 2009

Themes: Romance

Grammar: Adverbs

Intro

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Most romantic comedies begin with a couple meeting, go on to show them falling in love, and end with a wedding. It’s an old formula that some find perfectly adorable and others consider cheesy and unrealistic.

But the new movie 500 Days of Summer isn’t a typical romantic comedy. It begins with a break up, and then goes back in time to show what went wrong in the couple’s relationship. The male lead in the film is a hopeless romantic, but the girl is skeptical about love. She doesn’t think that true love really exists. For her, typical romantic comedies are just fantasies.

Some people think 500 Days of Summer is a realistic look at modern relationships. Find out if Mason and Ella think the movie does a good job of portraying love in the 21st century.

Dialog

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Ella

Ella

Mason

Mason

Ella:  So, 500 Days of Summer, it looks like something you can really connect with now.

Mason:  That movie was basically genetically engineered to be lovable. Right? You take Zooey Deschanel, who’s like weapons-grade cuteness.

Ella:  Yeah, it’s true.

Mason:  And Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is pretty adored. But he’s also a really serious actor, you know. But you can kind of tell he was just gonna play that likable card.

Ella:  And it talks about, you know, love in the 21st century. How there’s fear of commitment.

Mason:  Right. You know, it’s this typical thing, like guy who’s way sentimental, and he fell in love with someone and then got his heart broken. And he’s kinda trying to figure things out after that. It’s one of the universal tales.

Ella:  I mean, do you think it’s right to be skeptical about love, like the female character that Zooey plays?

Mason:  I’m dead on the inside, so yeah. Generally that’s my first instinct. But there was a time when I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Ella:  A hopeless romantic?

Mason:  Hopeless. Very, very hopeless. I wrote poetry. You know, I did that. I rolled that way. It’s not a proud moment for me.

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Mason thinks 500 Days of Summer must be likable, since it has such cute stars. Ella thinks the movie looks like something she could relate to. The female character is afraid of commitment and doesn’t want a serious relationship with the male character. She breaks his heart, and he has to try to get over her.

Mason says that he is skeptical about love like Zooey’s character. He jokes that he doesn’t have any feelings anymore. But he used to be more of a romantic.

Are you skeptical about love, or are you a hopeless romantic? How would you describe love in the 21st century? Are people more afraid of commitment than they used to be?

 

Comments

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CyrilCui

CyrilCui

China

I like this movie so much.When someone leaves your world, someone will enter your world. This is life!


I think in the 21st century many people are so realistic.If a guy doesn’t have a house,a car and a stable job,the girl who the guy loves will not marry him.She will find a better man to bring her better life in the future.Even though some girls have great career,but they may choose the great men like them.Miracles rarely occur.This is not a good phenomenon,but this is the truth here.


A girl could choose any cool boy to date and have a romantic experience,but she’ll think a lot when facing the problem of marriage.So do guys.Prople are more afraid of commitment since they must assume a lot in case they make promises.

02:52 PM Apr 25 2013 |

R_H

R_H

Mexico

I don’t understand this blog yet

05:37 AM Feb 03 2013 |

l..Romance..l

Russian Federation

Good movie. Zooey is beauty!


What about me, I’m a hopeless romantic. I believe in love (but not in love at first sight) and I like this feelling. Even if it’s nonreciprocal, like this often happens.

03:38 PM Jan 16 2013 |

ahmedghieth9

Egypt

like


11:02 AM May 12 2012 |

AppleRome

AppleRome

Antarctica

Well I dont know in which side I am now, already skeptical or still hopeless romantic.



I am tired of getting bad relationships. Really, relying heart on human is very risky.


Still afraid to start relationship again, I admit it, only dating with no plan. Meanwhile, my heart also wishes someday situation will change & I can have real good one.


I only can pray.



Then two things related to this issue that I always give a thought:


1. No perfect person in the world. So we will not get perfect love either.


2. The more people I hate in life, the more people will hate me in return.



—-



PS. 500 Days of Summer is one of my best drama-romance movies recommendation so far! Realistic lesson & near to anybody’s experience. ^^

09:01 PM Feb 08 2012 |

Honey-pig

Honey-pig

China

I agree with you, Chris. It’s not only the phenomenon in Westen, but also in the East, all over the world. Now people are afraid of commitment, i did too. I used to be not serious about love, doesn’t mean i don’t love him, i just never seriously think about our future. In my subconscious, i didn’t expect a marriage just enjoy the relationship when we’re together, kinda like the role of Summer. But now i really feel sorry about that, it’s an unhealthy attitude arosed in 21st century.  

07:45 AM Feb 08 2012 |

Chris_H

Chris_H

Germany

If you dont play that card you will never win. And the actor in this movie played that card and he lost. So i think what the movie is telling you, that everything what you imagine will never come true like this, the reality is always different. If you are a hopeless romantic person you will confrontrated with people who are dead on the inside and opposite.
In my opinion people in the current age don’t like commitments (that is for real) because the expected values of a partner changed from the former centuries. Today people don’t want to be connected with other people because they just think by himselfs. The values today are just money, social standing, appearance and the job.
how you see, these are not real values but that is the world we live in (i just can speak about the western countries)
With this values, of course, you cant be hopeless romantic and thats why people are afraid of commitment. I know what i am talking about. Back in the future a couple helped each other when there is a problem, today if you cant fix it on your own, one of the couple will leave the other one and go to the next best person who dont have problems. With this fact i am afraid of commitment.
Today you have to be determined in everything what you do and both character in this moive wasn’t. Just at the end, after both are determined with the own live, you will see what i mean.
So i hope there are still nice hopeless romantic people out there to keep “love” alive, because “love” is the most beautiful thing in our lives, and i am not just talking about love between a man and a woman.

07:48 AM Aug 19 2011 |

nour_2

nour_2

Syrian Arab Republic

Previously,I used to be hopeless romantic!!Embarassed
But now iam skeptical about love.Cry
But i don’t think that iam going to be dead on the inside!!Smile
Love in the 21st centruy is something you can’t find ,or you can scarcely find it.Frown
cause it’s becoming so plastic and superficial!!
People who follow their desires,or don’t trust the other partner  are afraid of commitment !!
But people who follows their hearts and minds and trust the other partner aren’t afraid of commitment. 
But unfortunately ,most of people nowadays are from the first kind !!! (afraid of commitment) 

07:57 PM Aug 18 2011 |

1 person likes this

sierbird

China

Mason and Ella are talking about th 500 days with summer, a romantic love movie. The Male character is hopeless romantic, while the female character is sketptic about love. 


Mason says he has no feeling about love, but he used to be bright-eyed and brushy-tailed  one time, and he wrote poetry.


For me, I believe 21st century’s love is not necessarily to be different from the past, but people are more open to break up the one you don’t love, and more brave to find the fit person.

11:41 PM May 09 2011 |

qq_baby

qq_babySuper Member!

Taiwan

I also liked this movie. very sweet and real.

11:05 PM Apr 15 2011 |

afufu

China

I watched '500 Days of Summer' about a year ago. It's a great movie. If there is time, I will watch it again. And if you haven't watched it yet, then you should.

Although love is so complicated, I believe there is ture love. But that doesn't mean love can exist just by itself. I mean, love depend on other things.

I am 25 years old, still single. And I only had just one girlfriend in my whole 25 years. So, I don't know what is love, but I believe I will find my true love someday.

03:30 PM Nov 27 2010 |

1 person likes this

Risk

Costa Rica

well i saw the movie  and it's very good .in fact  i have  watched  almos all  Zooey Deschannel  movies ,about the movie i think she was the perfect  actress for  summer   and i wonder if she 's like that in her real life  ..the movie  shows very well how some modern relationships are nowadays  it's harder to understand  and maintain  happy the   girls   ,they should  go back to old school  

04:27 AM Jun 03 2010 |

dickybabby

Hong Kong

We need love and then get marriage with your girlfriend or boyfriend. This is a kind of natural process. Being support from your wife or hubsband, we do have a better life. Of course, someone divorces, but it doesn't matter as you can find new lover.

10:32 AM Apr 17 2010 |

ahmedghieth9

Egypt

love is a dream we are dreaming

07:20 AM Feb 19 2010 |

1 person likes this

nothing else matter

Italy

there isnt real love.people live with each other becouse of their needs.thinking about love is wasting time these days

05:11 AM Feb 04 2010 |

lena)

lena)

Ukraine

" why not? that is the physical think.we need air to live.but love i don't think so"

Well I think there is a difference between living and existence. And the line is – love.

06:07 PM Feb 01 2010 |

1 person likes this

punithan_9405

India

"

hmm yup .. love is like an air we can't live without love ….. can you live without air .. ?

why not? that is the physical think.we need air to live.but love i don't think so

12:45 PM Nov 25 2009 |

NaRoOo

NaRoOo

United States

hmm yup .. love is like an air we can't live without love ….. can you live without air .. ?

05:07 AM Nov 05 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I’m not skeptical about love,on the contrary,I’m a pretty romantic guy,but if I have to be rational,I will ;)

01:07 PM Sep 10 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I guess love in the 21st century is synonymous of "living and let live" :)

Love is in you heart and not in any external thing ;)

When I meet someone and if I like this person,I'm pretty intense…I'm not a superficial guy,so I believe in good feelings ;)

02:29 AM Sep 09 2009 |

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