I have to say, dialogue is probably the last thing I recall while watching a movie. It's the same with listening to music: I can have a song I love and it's not until three or four years later that I actually pay attention to the lyrics. I'm much more attuned to atmosphere, the feeling, tone, etc., of what's happening - probably because dialogue can be deceiving in that we often do the opposite of the things we say. That being said, I only wrote down a few lines of dialogue, one being Summer questioning Tom "Where is your passion?". Tom's sister notes "just because they like the same things as you do doesn't make them your soulmate" (which prompted my memory of Deep Blue Something's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" song). Summer noted her personal belief "There's no such thing as love - it's a fantasy", which is pretty much how we view certain segments of the story as through Tom's eyes.

I saw one this time that slipped by the first screening, and it's stated by a secondary character: Paul. In the doc style into-camera series of shots on PP. 86-87, it ends with Paul who says this: "I wouldn't say "the girl of my dreams," no. The girl of my dreams would have a better rack. Probably different hair, could like sports a little more. But... truth is... Robyn's better than the girl of my dreams... She's real." This goes right to the heart of Tom's problem: His romanticized view of love which has tainted his perception of Summer into the "girl of his dreams." Interestingly directly after Paul's side, there is this: CU TOM: He says nothing. Just stands there. Still trying to figure things out. So this entire litany of characters in the story sharing their thoughts and insights into love, relationships, and so forth ends with a guy unable to say anything about his OWN feelings. The positioning of this CU series of shots is interesting. It's directly after Summer and Tom have - in Tom's perception - reconnected at Millie's wedding. In fact on the train ride home when she falls asleep with her head on his shoulder, it says in SD: "They're gonna make it after all." Tom believes, or WANTS to believe, they are back together as a couple. Then the CU shots. One would think the writers would have given Tom a side like, "You know, love has its crazy ups and downs, but when you know, you know." But no. He is silent, trying to talk, but has nothing to say. It serves as a nice segue into the next sequence, a pivotal one at the party at Summer's place: EXPECTATIONS / REALITY. Where he discovers that Summer has a wedding ring on. So in a way, Tom's silence is one of the most important pieces of 'dialogue' in the movie because it presages the emptiness of his delusions about Summer, delusions which come crashing down on him in the next set of scenes.

A line that I recall being used multiple times, but in different contexts is: "I don't know. Who cares? I'm happy. Aren't you happy?" Tom says this line in the beginning of the film (pg. 6) as he and Summer are breaking things off at the diner. In this instance, things clearly aren't going well and Summer is not happy. Summer says this line later in the film (which is really before the diner scene in chronological order) when Tom asks her "What's going on here...with us?" (pg. 52) This time, it is in the earlier stage of their relationship when they both are truly happy. He in essence throws this back in her face during the diner conversation. Some of my favorite lines from the film come at the very end when Summer and Tom meet on the park bench one last time. For me, some of the lines are heartbreaking: ex. Summer: I just woke up and I knew. Tom: Knew what? Summer: What I was never really sure of with you. ex. Summer: You were right all along...It just wasn't me that you were right about. Although it was heartbreaking, I also feel this conversation gave Tom the closure he needed. What I also find interesting about that scene, as I was doing more research and listening to commentary from the writers and the director, is that they each have a different view as to whether or not that scene really happened or if that too was part of Tom's fantasy. I had never considered that before in all of my other viewings (I happen to really enjoy this film because 1. It's the first movie I saw in the theater with my boyfriend who is now my husband and 2. I love non-linear scripts when they are done well and I liked the chances these writers took to produce something that breaks the rules, but they also still understood when to stick to convention). I still like to believe that the scene really happened and Tom did get that closure because it was much needed for him to truly move on, even if people don't always receive closure in real life.

I also wanted to add the EXPECTATIONS/REALITY scene to the interesting use of dialogue because there are little bits of dialogue interspersed throughout, but for the most part, the song (Regina Spektor: Hero) replaces the dialogue, telling you exactly what's going on. The first lines are: He never, ever saw it coming at all... The dialogue isn't really needed in this instance.

astarryknight, first off that's really cool this is the first movie you saw with your now husband. Second that is a really interesting idea: That the final scene between Tom and Summer may only have been Tom's fantasy, not a real moment. Do you remember what the perspective of the writers is: Fantasy or Real? That had never occurred to me, but given how narrowly focused the story is -- specifically through Tom's world view -- I can totally see how that final Summer-Tom moment could be a fantasy. Very, very interesting. Another conundrum to add to the conversation about (500) Days along with does Tom really get it at the end, or is he going to replicate previous behavior / romanticized take on life and love with Autumn?

Yes, I watched the DVD commentary yesterday with Weber, Neustadter, Marc Webb, and Joseph-Gordon Levitt. Weber said he thinks she's there, Neustadter said she's not there, Webb said he didn't think it mattered and Levitt said she's definitely not there, just like the dancing in "the best day ever" scene didn't really happen either. I found it interesting that even between the two writers there is a differing outlook on that scene. Neustadter also commented that this was one of the more difficult scenes to write because it didn't happen for him in real life and he didn't have that type of experience to draw from.

Thanks for that. I was most curious about the writers and it is interesting that they have a different take on it. Curious to think that Webb shot it as if she WAS there, and Gordon-Levitt acted in the scene as if she WASN'T there.

Scott, this is what I was looking for - thanks!