500 Days of Summer is an award-winning 2009 romantic comedy from Marc Webb. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Tom, a hopeless romantic who writes greeting cards for a living. He falls in love with Summer, who works in the same building as him, and doesn’t quite believe in love yet.
Tom believes Summer is the one for him, while she’s just looking for a casual relationship. This results in a lot of conflict, both internal and external, as Tom tries to convince Summer that they are meant to be while he projects a glorified image of his ideal woman onto her.
The film’s structure is non-linear, as Tom looks back on his time with Summer from the future. His half-sister Rachel (Chloë Grace Moretz), a precocious young girl, is present in both timelines to offer him advice and consolation, as is Tom’s friend Paul (Matthew Gray Gubler). The vibrant characters have a lot to say about love and heartbreak. Some of their words are wise and should be heeded, while others’ flawed ways of thinking shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Here are thirteen of the best quotes from 500 Days of Summer.
Rachel: “Just because she likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn’t mean she’s your soulmate.”
Tom: “You’re ridiculous – your favourite Beatle is Ringo.”
Paul: “Misery, sadness, loss of faith, no reason to live – this is perfect for you.”
Paul: “I’m running out of ways to say ‘congratulations’. So far, I’ve got, ‘congrats’, ‘good job’, and ‘well done’.”
Summer: “You weren’t wrong, Tom. You were just wrong about me.”
Rachel: “I know you think she was the one, but … I think you’re just remembering the good stuff. Next time you look back, I really think you should look again.”
Tom: “Author’s note: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Especially you, Jenny Beckman. B**ch.”
Tom: “Not literally. That’s disgusting. Jesus, what’s the matter with you?”
Tom: “Why do people buy cards? It’s not because they want to say how they feel. People buy cards because they can’t say how they feel or are afraid to. And we provide the service that lets them off the hook.”
McKenzie: “Arthur Miller said, ‘If you want to understand a woman, you have to turn her into a piece of literature.'”
Rachel: “Yeah, I know what you mean. That’s what happened between me and John.”
Tom: “Oh, so I’m Nancy.”
