where: CINE ARTS @ PLEASANT HILL in Pleasant Hill, CA
when: Sunday, July 26th, 2009
show: 5:50 pm
costs: $10.00 Ticket + $4.25 medium Diet/Zero Coke + $1.39 CVS Fruit and Nut Mix + $4.00 Bridge Toll = $19.64
auditorium: 5
seat: 4th row, 14th column
A "Mr. Right" who's searching for the right girl finds a girl who's looking for a "Mr. Right Now."
Tom ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt ), an hopeless romantic stuck in a rut at work in a Greeting Cards company in L. A., falls for the new-hire secretary from Michigan, Summer ( Zooey Deschanel ). After the failed romance, a blind date with Alison ( Rachel Boston ) puts him in the proper perspective: He was blinded by his "ideal love" that he missed Summer's true intention of just keeping him as a "F-ck Buddy," to put it crudely. So, we see Tom and Summer in a series of "Black and White," Split-Screens and ping-ponging Flash Backs/Forwards as he tries to figure out what went wrong in their relationship. In the end, he goes for his first true passion as another new possibility opens up for him.
noteworthy scenes: 1.) The disclaimer notice; 2.) The break-up at the diner; 3.) The "Summer Effect;" 4.) The office party; 5.) Tom's talk with his friends, Paul ( Matthew Gray Gubler ) and McKenzie ( Geoffrey Arend ); 6.) The Karaoke Bar; 7.) The taxi for McKenzie; 8.) At the copy machines; 9.) Shopping at IKEA; 10.) Tom's after-sex "glow;" 11.) McKenzie quoting Henry Miller; 12.) The favorite park bench; 13.) Talk with his little sister, Rachel ( Chloe Moretz ); 14.) Really obnoxious guy at the bar; 15.) The ex-boyfriends talk; 16.) The "Penis" shout; 17.) The art gallery; 18.) The "French movie;" 19.) The talk with the boss, Mr. Vance ( Clark Gregg ); 20.) The bus ride; 21.) The Blind Date with Alison; 22.) Train ride to the wedding; 23.) "Expectations/Realities;" 24.) Leaving the party; 25.) Buying stuff at the convenience store; 26.) The company meeting about "The Winter Collection;" 27.) Just remembering the "good stuff;" 28.) Watching Dustin Hoffman's 1967 movie, THE GRADUATE; 29.) Back at the favorite park bench; and 30.) Interviewing for a job.
audience reaction: They were entertained by this Rom/Com movie.
recommendation: If you don't get bothered reminiscing about relationship break-ups, then this movie might be entertaining for you to watch.
spoiler alert! The scene at the Karaoke Bar with McKenzie singing did not make sense. It should not have been included ( see the movie to know what I mean )!
Autumn ( Minka Kelly ) should have been named, Spring.
fyi: According to McKenzie, Henry Miller said, "The best way to get a girl out of your mind is to turn her into literature."
I know this girl who fitted the profile of my "ideal love." I tried, for nine long years, to try to win her heart. Within that time, there were about five other girls who came along that were interested in me, but I never asked anyone of them out on a date because I didn't want the girl of my dreams to think that I'm just a philanderer, like my father was. I purposely--foolishly, in retrospect--held my life back for her because I wanted her to think that she was my muse, the source of all my inspirations and the reason for my future successes. Even though we had many things in common, we were from different backgrounds. So, she kept her distance from me. When I realized that it was a lost cause, I tried to get her out of my mind. It was hard for me to forget her because "M ... ( her affiliation ) reminders"-- this movie calls such things, "Coincidences"-- would come along every now and then to figuratively grab me by the back of my head and forcefully squash my face into a big, stinking pile of painful memories! Because of such reminders, I figured that I still had a chance. But I was wrong. The day that I found out that she was getting married really broke my heart.
Nowadays, on rare occasions, I would see her on the freeway during my work commute. She would try to get my attention. But I would just ignore her because the way that I see it, there is neither a place for her in my present nor in my future. I met her in my past, that's where she rightfully belongs. She should just stay in that part of me where she is most welcomed!
Although I cannot reveal her name or initials here, suffice it to say that she bears a striking resemblance to an Hollywood actress who was featured in four movies, at least, within the last two years. I don't want to flatter her further and add anymore to her conceit.
Yes, I ( like Tom ) was an "Hopeless Romantic" because I was in love with Romance but when it came to finding the right girl I was Hopeless!
word of advice: Be careful about having an office romance because if it goes sour, it could have a negative impact on you ( and those around you ) at work--not to mention, you could get slapped with "sexual harassment and/or stalking" charges.
If your friends set you up on a "Blind Date," first make sure that your friends are not the Practical Joker types! I've been there, so I know.
tidbits: After the movie, I went to the Dollar Tree Store next door to buy more contraband snacks to smuggle-in on future movie trips. You can tell that the economy is really bad if even dollar ( or 99-cent ) stores are cutting back on hired help! There was a long line and there was only one employee at work, the cashier. I could have walked out of there with a bunch of stuff without paying for any of it! That's how bad it was. Unfortunately for me, I was not conditioned to be a Shop-Lifter.
As I watched the ending credits roll up, I saw Patrick Swayze's name listed. I didn't know that he wrote and sang the song, She's Like The Wind, a song that is perfect for this movie. My prayers go to him and his family.
