(500) Days of Summer

(500) Days of Summer is one of the better films of the summer. It takes all the predictable elements of the romantic comedy and adds just enough spin and verve to make it all seem fresh again.

The basic storyline is nothing out-of-the-ordinary. What makes it special is the likability of the two leads (played with great charm by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel) and the respect and goodness with which they treat each other, even when they break up. There's none of the calculated gamesmanship that dominates so many movies of the genre. Add to that a great score, a clever way of splitting the story up so it's told through slightly jumbled snapshots and a wonderfully exuberant dance scene set to Hall & Oates's "You Make My Dreams Come True."

Although it seduces you with the way the two main characters fall in love, the movie has some interesting twists as it works itself toward its knowing and somewhat surprising conclusion. The result is an extremely smart, inventive, funny film that wins your heart even as it plays with your head.