History Film / FiveHundredDaysOfSummer

%%* BetterThanABareBulb

%%* {{Bookends}}: Day 488.

%%* BrickJoke: ''Film/TheGraduate''.

%%* ColorFailure

%%* LoveHurts

%%* {{Narrator}}

%%* ObliviousToLove: Summer to Tom.

%%* WrongGenreSavvy: Many of the characters, but Tom most of all.

* AffectionateParody: Played with in the "Expectation versus Reality" sequences. The Expectation parts follow this by showing what it would be like if it was part of a legitimate RomanticComedy - what Tom ''thinks'' he's in: occasionally emotional, at times cheesy, [[UnreliableNarrator almost always in his favor]]. The Reality parts subvert or deconstruct those, usually by Tom messing up a line, not looking as suave as he thinks he is, or even failing to act at all because he's so flustered.

* TheArtifact: The flashback to Summer cutting her hair off in her teen years is a remnant from when she was conceived as having short blonde hair (you know, a ''[[ManicPixieDreamGirl pixie]]'' haircut) - as it would have been an ImportantHaircut for her.

* BluebirdOfHappiness: During Tom's HappyDance with half of Los Angeles, a {{Disneyesque}} cartoon bluebird flies in and lands on his finger. And then winks at the camera as it flies off.

* BoyMeetsGirl: To quote the {{narrator}}: "[[LampshadeHanging This is a story of]] BoyMeetsGirl." [[{{Deconstruction}} Deconstructed]].

* CharacterDevelopment: As the film progresses, Tom matures greatly. He stops seeing women as objects that he can project his ideals onto, and drops his ItsAllAboutMe attitude towards his relationship with Summer. He also is able to turn his life around, quitting his job in the greeting card company and pursuing a job as an architect, which is what he wants to do. His growth in the film is best illustrated in [[spoiler:his final conversation with Summer]], where he genuinely wishes her to be happy, and when he [[spoiler:asks out Autumn without hesitation and doesn't get angry when she initially rejects him.]]

* ColorMotif: Blue is associated with Summer, which according to WordOfGod was done to bring out her actress' blue eyes. Throughout the film, Tom sees and ignores many objects with this color which serves as a {{Foreshadowing}} (see below).
* ComedicWorkSeriousScene: The climax sees Tom's expectations of getting back together with Summer [[spoiler: shattered as he realizes he's at her engagement party.]]

* DrowningMySorrows: After Tom discovers [[spoiler:that Summer's marrying someone else.]]

* LeFilmArtistique: During his post-break up depression, the protagonist sits through a collection of European monochrome movies that strangely resemble events from his own life.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Summer has an art installation of paper cranes in her apartment, [[spoiler:all but one are blue (a colour strongly associated with Summer throughout the movie) and the odd one out is red (Autumn is wearing red when Tom meets her). Guess which crane Tom picks to fidget with?]] Also an example of ColourCodedForYourConvenience.
* FourthDateMarriage: The entire story, including Tom's [[spoiler: post-break-up depression]], takes place over a little less than a year and a half. Consider how Summer spends less than half that time (Days 288-500). Most couples spend more time between the engagement and the wedding than Summer [[spoiler: took meeting a total stranger and getting married to him... which suggests that her big LoveEpiphany might be just another whim]].

* KaraokeBondingScene: At an office party, Tom sings The Pixies's "Here Comes Your Man" for the benefit of his crush on co-worker Summer.

* MaybeEverAfter: [[spoiler:Tom and Autumn. Interaction starts between them at the end, but what becomes of it is up in the air.]]

* MeetCute: On (Day 4), in the elevator, between Tom and Summer. [[spoiler: Also, on (Day 500) / Autumn: (Day 1), another more standard MeetCute, between Tom and Autumn, as they wait to interview for a job they're competing for. The two {{Meet Cute}}s have something in common: one party was already interested beforehand while the other was oblivious to that person's existence. The first time, it's Tom who's already interested and Summer who's been oblivious; the second time it's Tom who's been oblivious (too caught up {{angst}}ing over Summer) and Autumn who's already interested.]]

* DrunkenSong: McKenzie is absolutely plastered at karaoke and completely fails to stay on rhythm during "God Bless the USA."

* DullSurprise: A common criticism of Creator/ZooeyDeschanel.