(500) Days of Summer
Tom, greeting-card writer and hopeless romantic, is caught completely off-guard when his girlfriend, Summer, suddenly dumps him. He reflects on their 500 days together to try to figure out where their love affair went sour, and in doing so, Tom rediscovers his true passions in life.
Despite its modest budget of $7.5M, (500) Days of Summer became a runaway success, earning $60.8M worldwide—a remarkable 710% return. The film's innovative storytelling attracted moviegoers, demonstrating that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
17 wins & 58 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
(500) Days of Summer (2009) exemplifies strategically placed dramatic framework, characteristic of Marc Webb's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 35 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.5, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Tom Hansen
Summer Finn
Paul
McKenzie
Rachel Hansen
Main Cast & Characters
Tom Hansen
Played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
A romantic greeting card writer who falls deeply in love with Summer, believing in destiny and soulmates.
Summer Finn
Played by Zooey Deschanel
A free-spirited woman who doesn't believe in true love or relationships, serving as Tom's love interest and catalyst for transformation.
Paul
Played by Matthew Gray Gubler
Tom's pragmatic friend and co-worker who offers grounded advice about relationships.
McKenzie
Played by Chloë Grace Moretz
Tom's precocious younger sister who provides wise, mature advice beyond her years.
Rachel Hansen
Played by Rachel Boston
Tom's sister who helps him process his heartbreak and offers a more balanced perspective on relationships.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Tom Hansen sits alone in his apartment, depressed and broken after a devastating breakup. His voiceover establishes that this is a story about boy meets girl, but warns that this is not a love story.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Day 1: Summer Finn arrives as the new assistant at Tom's greeting card company. Tom is immediately smitten when he sees her, and his friends notice his instant infatuation. The disruption to his ordinary world begins.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Day 28: At a karaoke bar, after Summer performs "Sugar Town," Tom makes his move and kisses her. Summer reciprocates, and they spend the night together. Tom actively chooses to pursue this relationship despite her warnings that she doesn't want anything serious., moving from reaction to action.
At 48 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Day 154: At a wedding, Tom tells Summer he loves her. Summer becomes uncomfortable and distant, responding that she doesn't feel the same way. The false victory of their relationship crashes into reality. Summer reinforces that she doesn't believe in love, and the stakes are raised as Tom realizes they want different things., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 70 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Day 290: Summer breaks up with Tom on a bench, telling him she's sure that he'll find someone who loves him back. Tom is devastated. His dream of destiny with Summer dies completely. He can barely function and eventually quits his job., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 75 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Day 402: Tom runs into Summer at his favorite spot in the city. She invites him to a party. Despite his heartbreak, Tom decides to go, hoping for reconciliation. This decision represents his willingness to face reality and get closure, synthesizing his romantic ideals with the truth he must confront., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
(500) Days of Summer's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping (500) Days of Summer against these established plot points, we can identify how Marc Webb utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish (500) Days of Summer within the comedy genre.
Marc Webb's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Marc Webb films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. (500) Days of Summer takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Marc Webb filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Marc Webb analyses, see Gifted, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and The Amazing Spider-Man.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Tom Hansen sits alone in his apartment, depressed and broken after a devastating breakup. His voiceover establishes that this is a story about boy meets girl, but warns that this is not a love story.
Theme
Tom's younger sister Rachel tells him, "Just because she likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn't mean she's your soul mate." The theme is stated: romantic destiny vs. reality, and the danger of projecting fantasies onto relationships.
Worldbuilding
Non-linear introduction to Tom's world as a greeting card writer who believes in "the one" and true love, shaped by his childhood love of sad British pop music. We see glimpses of his relationship with Summer scattered across different days, establishing his romantic idealism and her enigmatic nature.
Disruption
Day 1: Summer Finn arrives as the new assistant at Tom's greeting card company. Tom is immediately smitten when he sees her, and his friends notice his instant infatuation. The disruption to his ordinary world begins.
Resistance
Tom debates whether to pursue Summer despite learning she doesn't believe in love or relationships. His friends McKenzie and Paul encourage him while Rachel provides skeptical counsel. Tom and Summer bond over shared musical taste (The Smiths) in the office, creating moments of connection while Tom remains uncertain.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Day 28: At a karaoke bar, after Summer performs "Sugar Town," Tom makes his move and kisses her. Summer reciprocates, and they spend the night together. Tom actively chooses to pursue this relationship despite her warnings that she doesn't want anything serious.
Mirror World
Day 34: Tom and Summer lie in bed together in post-coital bliss. Summer traces Tom's features and they share intimate conversation. This relationship becomes the mirror that will reflect Tom's flawed beliefs about love and force him to confront the difference between fantasy and reality.
Premise
The "promise of the premise" - Tom and Summer's quasi-relationship unfolds across scattered days. They explore IKEA playing house, attend weddings, have sex, share music, and experience moments of joy. Tom is in heaven believing she's "the one," while Summer maintains emotional distance, insisting they're just friends having fun.
Midpoint
Day 154: At a wedding, Tom tells Summer he loves her. Summer becomes uncomfortable and distant, responding that she doesn't feel the same way. The false victory of their relationship crashes into reality. Summer reinforces that she doesn't believe in love, and the stakes are raised as Tom realizes they want different things.
Opposition
Tom and Summer's relationship deteriorates. They fight about commitment and expectations. Tom's romantic delusions clash with Summer's emotional unavailability. The famous expectations vs. reality split-screen sequence shows Tom's fantasy of Summer's party versus the crushing reality of seeing her with another man. Everything falls apart.
Collapse
Day 290: Summer breaks up with Tom on a bench, telling him she's sure that he'll find someone who loves him back. Tom is devastated. His dream of destiny with Summer dies completely. He can barely function and eventually quits his job.
Crisis
Tom spirals into depression, lying in bed for days, drinking, and ranting about the lies of love. He goes through the dark night of the soul, processing the death of his romantic fantasy. His sister Rachel and friends try to console him but he remains lost in darkness.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Day 402: Tom runs into Summer at his favorite spot in the city. She invites him to a party. Despite his heartbreak, Tom decides to go, hoping for reconciliation. This decision represents his willingness to face reality and get closure, synthesizing his romantic ideals with the truth he must confront.
Synthesis
Day 476: At Summer's party, Tom sees she's engaged to someone else. Devastated but needing answers, he confronts her on the roof. Summer explains she now believes in love - she just wasn't sure with him. Tom finally accepts the truth: she was never his destiny. He begins to let go and redirect his life toward architecture, his true passion.
Transformation
Day 500: Tom, having pursued his dream of architecture, attends a job interview. He meets a woman named Autumn at his favorite bench. They connect authentically. Tom has transformed from a boy who believed in fairy tale destiny to a man who can engage with real connection, learned through loss.