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September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

(500) Days of Summer

(500) Days of Summer is a 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Marc Webb in his feature directorial debut.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

(500) Days of Summer is a 2009 American romantic comedy-drama that follows Tom Hansen as he reflects on his 500-day relationship with Summer Finn, told through a nonlinear narrative.

What it is

Directed by Marc Webb in his feature debut, the film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom, a greeting-card writer, and Zooey Deschanel as Summer. The story jumps back and forth across their time together, contrasting Tom's romantic expectations with Summer's more skeptical view of love.

Key details

Written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the film was released in U.S. theatres on August 7, 2009, with a PG-13 rating and a runtime of 1 hour 35 minutes. The cast includes Geoffrey Arend, Chloë Grace Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Clark Gregg in supporting roles.

Why it matters

The film received Canadian media coverage at release, including a CBC News review noting its Toronto opening and later rollout to other Canadian cities. It's often cited as a standout indie romantic comedy-drama for its unconventional structure and honest take on relationships.

In short

  • Nonlinear narrative shows Tom and Summer's relationship over 500 days.
  • Marc Webb's feature directorial debut; stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
  • Released in 2009; rated PG-13 with a 1h 35m runtime.
  • Canadian release included Toronto opening and wider rollout.
Canadian angle

The film received Canadian media coverage at release, including a CBC News review noting its Toronto opening and later rollout to other Canadian cities.[8]

Quick questions

What is (500) Days of Summer about?
It follows Tom's relationship with Summer over 500 days, told in a nonlinear way as he reflects on what happened between them.
Who directed (500) Days of Summer?
Marc Webb directed the film, which was his feature directorial debut.
When was it released?
The film was released in 2009; its U.S. theatrical release was August 7, 2009.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/500_Days_of_Summer
    Supports: Release year, country, director, writers, cast, nonlinear structure, basic film overview
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/500_days_of_summer
    Supports: Plot summary, MPAA rating, genre, theatrical release date
  3. Disney+ — https://www.disneyplus.com/en-fi/browse/entity-00d02322-3b21-4663-ae22-c2c4a2db3f9f
    Supports: Runtime, genre, plot description, cast, release year
  4. AllMovie — https://www.allmovie.com/movie/500-days-of-summer-am342
    Supports: Director, writers, producer, nonlinear structure, cast, release year
  5. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1022603/
    Supports: Plot synopsis and cast
  6. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/500-days-of-summer
    Supports: Runtime, MPAA rating, plot description, theatrical release date
  7. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/500-days-of-summer-1.823046
    Supports: Canadian release context and review coverage
  8. Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/70112492
    Supports: Cast and genre labeling