What do you think was the overall message of the movie?
I personally think it's that you aren't supposed to be with your "soulmate" your entire life. You are meant to be with certain people at certain points in your life. And just because someone destroys you, it doesn't mean it was a mistake, or not worth it, or that you never should have been with them. Many people find the ending depressing but I found it quite hopeful.
I'm going to quote from Social Justice League for the most succinct and interesting statement on the film's purpose, which I pretty much agree with. Also, I notice that men under the age of say 30-ish tend to fall into Camp 1, while men my age and pretty much most women are in Camp 2:
"[P]eople seem to divide into two camps when analyzing the underlying message of the film:
1. The film (and audience) sympathizes with the plight of the protagonist and the purpose is to reinforce the dominant sexist narrative that women are emotionally manipulative and “play games” with men, while men get their hearts broken.
OR
2. The protagonist is an unreliable narrator who is selfish and unable to consider anyone else’s emotional needs but his own. As he embodies many of the negative traits commonly given to women in romantic comedies, the film is in fact a subversion of sexist gender stereotypes.
Surprisingly, the latter (2) was the intention and the belief of the writers, the producers and the actors of the film, and they expected the film would be viewed with interpretation #2.* ... [So], how did interpretation #1 become so popular when it was the exact opposite of what everyone involved in the creation of the film intended?"
http://www.socialjusticeleague.net/2011/11/the-500-days-of-summer-dilemma-and-how-to-manage-your-unreliable-narrator/
I'm going to quote from my butt: "FARRRRRRRRRT."
I also don't appreciate your use of the number 30 because it's integer-normative and makes my nipples vomit battery acid. FOR SHAME.
http://www.podnischevs-butt.com/fartcasts/flatulent-justice.htm
Bit late with this reply... But i think its about being open to change. He decided as a young boy that "one day he would meet his soul mate". Though the experience was painful, he learnt that maybe there was more than one woman for him. That it didn't work out with summer, but in the end that was ok. He learnt to appreciate what they had.
She decided as a young girl that "there was no such thing as love". Through their relationship she learnt that she could love.... Although ultimately (maybe partly because of his possessiveness, or maybe cos she just didn't feel strongly enough for him), she ended up loving someone else.
So growth and change and not being stuck in a belief that doesn't allow you to change.
Just because a relationship doesn't work out, doesn't mean it can't change you for the better. Just because a situation is bad, doesn't mean it won't turn your life into something better.
shareTrue love is meant to be. But, Tom was not meant to be with Summer that way. Even though he was miserable losing her, it seemed their relationship was suspect, as far as achieving happily ever after.
shareTrue love is meant to be. But, Tom was not meant to be with Summer that way. Even though he was miserable losing her, it seemed their relationship was suspect, as far as achieving happily ever after.
share