The chills of mid-November are beginning to numb our Blue Ridge Mountains, reminding us of holidays and special occasions to come, even while the weekday routines roll along with dinner, homework, a bit of down-time, and then, for the kids, off-to-bed time. After arriving at that point last evening, Beth and I heartily enjoyed 500 Days of Summer. You may remember the trailer above, for last year’s “offbeat romantic comedy” directed by Marc Webb, starring Zooey Deschanel as Summer, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom. The screenplay from Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber has earned numerous awards, including the 2010 Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay. From the very beginning, due to the sure-handed visual storytelling and the mesmerizing, purely authentic performances — as well as the unique storytelling approach in which we erratically, but very strategically, jump around within the 500 days spanning the main characters’ relationship — we were hooked into the characters and their plights. Well told love stories have a lot of appeal in our household, and this one hit all the right marks in subtle and innovative ways; in real life, love must emerge where ever it can take root, and although there may be much to feel good about along the way, misery is at least as likely. In 500 Days of Summer, the highs are contagious, and the lows are excruciating.
Many parts of this movie struck powerful chords in me. Among them, a favorite moment is when things are not going so well for Tom. By then, we’ve already heard him chronicle the quirky little things about Summer that he loves. Further down the road, the very same montage showcasing Summer’s cuteness is accompanied by a different narrative description from Tom: The exact things he had loved become the things that drive him crazy. To me, that was a touching take on a real life experience… and it’s just one of the moments from this wonderful movie that I’ll always remember.
When we study literature, we learn the importance of contrast. I wrote the poem below back in 2000, with the goal of using contrast to convey my own deep emotional attachments to my wife, drawing from a trip she had taken without me. I thought I’d share it here, alongside this discussion of an extraordinary artistic feat I found to be an inspirational story about love, and life. Bravo, and thanks to everyone involved in bringing this movie to the world.
by Roger Darnell
The day before your return
the vision of you laughing
haunts me and plumbs the depths
of my longing.
The scent of your perfume
awakens embers that smolder
and clog my thoughts with soot.
I imagine the sound of your voice
as the wind ravages the trees
and the birds chatter noisily.
Throughout the day, I find that
nothing I eat has a taste, nor a
texture, nor any appeal whatsoever.
And as the night arrives, numbly,
I sit in absence of the touch
that once had not deprived me
of life among the living.
The day after your return
the vision of you sleeping
warms me and stretches the limits
of my solitude.
The scent of your perfume
fires my imagination with
a magical, mystical flame of joy.
I hear the sound of your voice
as the wind caresses the trees
and the birds sweetly sing.
Throughout the day, I find that
the smallest morsels of food
explode with intoxicating flavors.
And as the night arrives, sensitively,
I bask in the light touch
that today does not fail to deliver me
my life among the living.
(Poem written Feb. 12, 2000. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.)
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