MovieChat Forums > (500) Days of Summer (2009) Discussion > Miscasting with Summer?

Miscasting with Summer?

posted 12 years ago by shaneuk-1
30 replies | jump to latest

Although I do like Zoey Deschanel, I cannot help but think she was a miscast for this role. The reason being is that 'Summer' was depicted in this film as being beautiful to the point where she stood out from the rest (one example being on the bus when everyone turned their head to stare) or the mention of here being far too good for Tom.
With that being said I don't think Zoey is good looking to the point where this is the case. Sure, she certainly has an appeal to her which I would more associate with the 'girl next door' look as opposed to being conventionally beautiful.

What are your thoughts on this?

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

totally disagree, shes gorgeous, but in the film shes not described as being exceptionally beautiful, but has an effect on men that is just stated as being inexplicable... (the Summer effect) I think more about her eyes, and her smile than her beauty per se.

I think she played the role perfectly.

Update: part of the "Summer effect" may well have been her very aloofness... being hard to get might have translated into more desire. People, men in particular, often want what they can't have.

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] daltonio823 12 years ago

I'd have to disagree, I think that Zooey is that good looking

"I am invincible!" -Boris Grishenko, Goldeneye

[–] MrBullo 12 years ago

No, I disagree. People can attract attention without being exceptionally beautiful. Sure, there are many better looking women around, but she was hard not to look at.

[–] padzok 12 years ago

(one example being on the bus when everyone turned their head to stare)

Yeah, that was a bad mistake to make.

He whole school Belle & Sebastian because she referenced them, or loads of people buying ice cream because she worked in the store for a few weeks, are great examples.

We can fill in our own blanks and imagine that she has a magnetic personality or whatever.

But we can see for ourselves that her looks would not turn heads, so that scene undermined the other claims.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

No accounting for taste. I personally have no trouble with those scene. I think Zooey is hot. Love her hair, her smile, her eyes.

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] everydayboredom1980 12 years ago

Everyone has their own taste.

Zooey Deschanel is okay to me. Minka Kelly is hot, IMO.

[–] sjynyc 12 years ago

Is was not about Summer being incredibly beautiful, in fact at the start of the movie it claims almost everything about her was average... it was about having a quality.. a chrisma.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

yes, the Summer effect.

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] Ed in MO 12 years ago

No, you are very wrong about that. Zooey Deschanel is certainly not the most beautiful woman in the world, but she gets paid millions to model and she's the face of a lot of beauty products who could choose anyone but chose her. There is definitely something about the way she looks and holds herself that turns heads. She has a poise and confidence that most women lack. And she looks terrific in a sun dress.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

yes and her hair is fantastic

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] There_Is_No_Sayid 12 years ago

Exactly. And Zoey Deschannel is perfect casting IMO because the film is, on one level, an interrogation of the "manic pixie dream girl" archetype and Deschannel probably more than any other major actress, embodies that sort of twee sensibility.

Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

"manic pixie dream girl"

She is so NOT; if anything an anti-dream girl... if you mean its a parody of the manic pixie... the opposite, then sure and she does a great job at doing the opposite of being Tom's dream girl.

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] There_Is_No_Sayid 12 years ago

I agree that Summer isn't a MPDG, but she's superficially that character type. Which is why the movie is engaging critically with the stereotype. On the surface Summer seems like she's a generic manic pixie dream girl where she's this wonderful magical elfin young woman who exists to better the life of the male protagonist. But the movie undermines this because Summer clearly has her own internal life and motivations, even if we don't get a great look at those. In the end she ends up with someone else, and not because Tom is a bad guy, but because she doesn't love him. I think it subverts the stereotype because Tom clearly thinks that she WILL be his MPDG but this gets foiled by the fact that she's a real person who doesn't exist only for Tom.

Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

Yes, I agree, the MPDG is what Tom thinks she is and that is definitely not the case. And you are right that the film is a challenge to that stereotype.

I don't think she break up with him because she doesn't love him... She breaks up with him because they are fighting all the time. I do think she seriously considered a future with Tom, but had to end it because of the conflict. The film however has such a myopic focus on Tom's experience that little of the fighting is depicted. I think its actually quite typical of people to only focus on the good times. Great film IMHO.

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] Bruce_Bell 12 years ago

I've met many girls who seem to be incredibly average looking, but they just have some sort of aura about them that attracts men.

"I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member."

[–] fillendoier-718-189791 12 years ago

I'll tell you a bad casting, Minka Kelly. Ruined the whole ending in just a couple of lines, most anticlimatic delivery I have ever seen. She must have worked really hard to get this role, because otherwise no sane director would give this role to her.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

"most anticlimatic delivery"

please explain. What was anticlimatic about it? And it wasn't the climax anyway... more of an epilogue.

I'd say the climax was the rapid series of cuts screens that included Summer's marriage or their meeting in the park after her marriage (http://youngandbrutal.blogspot.ca/2010/02/500-days-of-summer-analysis.html).

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] fillendoier-718-189791 12 years ago

Well the climax to me was the new beginning Tom. I got really excited about the fact that he was finally happy for Summer and ready to move on, was excited to see what was going to happen in the next scene. Then the dialogue with Minka Kelly, it was more like "are you going to move on to this, really?" I couldn't feel completely happy for Tom because of the poor casting of Minka Kelly is all.

[–] ntsci 12 years ago

ok, but I don't see why thats a problem. In terms of them meeting it is key because it shows just how far he has moved on. He sees an opportunity, and grabs it, rather than wallowing in self doubt. The shows that hes grown well beyond the timid guy that just sat and dreamed about Summer. Her line about him never noticing her was well crafted as well. I didn't see anything wrong with her performance of that line or two.

On the cynical side, the fact that he delays going into his interview in order to hit on her shows that maybe his career priorities aren't right -- still tooooo anxious to find love -- and the numbering being reset to 1 suggests perhaps that this relationships days are numbered as well... but its ambiguous enough to be neither excessively happy or cynical.

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RIGOLETTO: I'm denied that common human right, to weep.

[–] epibee 12 years ago

I partly agree with OP, Zooey looked a bit too old for the part, while Gordon Levitt looked young and clueless. Ironically, Zooey looks much younger and more beautiful in New Girl (though filmed later) than in this movie. Make-up and photography matters.