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"500 Days of Summer" breakdown of the movie timeline
500 DAYS OF SUMMER -- breakdown of the movie timeline
by David Potsiadlo (@davidpots)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================================================
THE ORDER SEEN IN THE MOVIE
============================================================================================================
488 0:00:51 on a bench, she has the ring
1 0:01:10 tom his his board meeting. jan 8th. when he first sees summer in his office.
290 0:03:58 little sister arrives to help out. she sits him down, makes him retell the story. (recap of the diner scene where she breaks up with him)
1 0:07:06 board meeting. he sees her for the first time.
3 0:09:18 tom and friend talking about summer from afar. "screw her," that uppity-better-than-everyone bitch.
4 0:09:50 tom meets summer in the elevator. "you like the smiths?" ... "holy shit."
8 0:10:47 party in their office. they have first conversation. tom reveals architect ambitions. after talk, tom has moment of architectural ambitions. it doesn't last long.
154 0:13:33 "Its official... I'm in love with Summer." he lists the things he loves about her.
11 0:14:21 Tom talking to his sister about Summer while playing Wii. "Just b/c a girl likes the same bizarre crap you do, it doesn't make her your soulmate, Tom" "Whaddaya mean?"
22 0:14:46 "It's off... me and Summer," says Tom talking to his friends. recap: "How was the weekend?" "It was gooooood." Tom thinks she isn't interested in him. He gave her plenty of chances. "I think you KNOW what I need." Tom plays the smiths as she walks by, etc.
27 0:16:53 "This Friday, all you can karaoke, at the Mill!" Work party. It is announced. "The whole office is going."
28 0:17:33 Karaoke at the Mill. "I like you." "I like you too."
31 0:24:28 copier room. she kisses him! she overheards the jobs/stalking conversation at his apartment ("if any jobs come up..."). its all good. "I'm stalking... I mean, I'm starving..."
282 0:26:59 IKEA. sadness. she doesn't reciprocate his "our sinks are broken!" game.
34 0:27:21 IKEA. happiness! "our place really is lovely, isn't it!" "the sinks broken... that's okay, thats why we bought a home with two kitchens." she tells him she isn't looking for anything serious. they go home and get it on for the first time. he leaves the next morning and does the famous dance.
303 0:33:27 sad. at office with his coworker. the new assistant is in summer's job. tom is "working on it" (re: getting her back). she responds to his email: "I hope this means you're ready to be friends."
45 0:34:25 summer hums song to tom on the phone, he listens and laughs (at office). "Your girl is losing it," coworker says laughingly (he walked in on her).
87 0:34:41 record store. first time she mentions Ring Starr. adult section in the record store. "that looks pretty doable". shower sex.
95 0:35:32 they sit on THE BENCH for the first time, after tom walks her through the city, talking about architecture. the song from the trailer. "If it were me, I'd make them notice." He draws on her arm.
109 0:38:13 summer shows tom her place for the first time. "for tom hanson, this was the night where everything changed." she tells him about her dreams. "These are stories one had to earn." "I've never told anyone this before." Tom then talks to his friends about how they're not labeled, and he is fine with it..
118 0:41:22 Tom at soccer game, talking to sister for advice. "What should I do?" "You should ask her." He is now stressed about their label and asking sister for advice. Then, he is in the car with her. THey're driving to the movies. He brings it up but she asks "What does it matter? aren't you happy" happy driving music (but really you can tell he is probably still worried).
259 0:43:45 Tom & Summer at the fancy 50's cocktail bar. Masculine Bob starts a fight. Tom gets hit in the face. Summer is PISSED. "I'm really tired... can we talk about this tomorrow?" She tries to say "We are just friends," but Tom erupts. "You're not the only one who gets a say! I say we're a couple!" Tom storms out, back to his place. She comes over in the middle of the night. They make up.
266 0:51:09 Next morning, they're talking about past boyfriends/girlfriends. Then they play the penis game.
191 0:52:22 Art gallery. then they go to the movies. "Vagiant" (part vampire part giant). They have fun!!!
314 0:53:10 Tom at the movies, movie in Italian (of Tom). very sad.
321 0:54:36 Office. Tom gets lectured by his boss b/c of sadness. "Has something happened to you, recently?" He gets assigned to sympathy cards.
167 0:56:46 Office. Tom is on a roll with card POSITIVE stuff. He helps the whole office. "I love us."
322 0:57:36 "I hate summer." he lists the things he hates about her.
345 0:58:05 Tom is on a Blind date. he hates it. he recounts all the times in the past where he first noticed there might be trouble. she brings up the questions: did she ever cheat on you? take advantage of you? etc? the answer = no. they go from diner to karaoke, and he is drunk as fuck.
402 1:00:21 Tom on a train. He sees Summer! They get coffee. Milly's wedding. Summer catches the bouquet. She invites him to the party.
408 1:07:36 Tom at Summer's apartment for the famous duel-screen party. He finds out she is engaged.
440 1:10:48 Alarm goes off. Tom hates the world.
441 1:10:56 Alarm goes off, Tom hates the world again. He buys Jack Daniels, OJ, and twinkies in his robe.
442 1:11:32 Alarm goes off, Tom is miserable at work. Work meeting. Tom goes off on his rant. "We do a bad thing here... people should be able to say how they feel. How they really feel. Not just words some strangers put in their mouths. I quit. There's enough bullshit in the world without my help."
450 1:15:12 Soccer game. Inspirational music. "Hey, you're sketching again!" But it is a murderous picture of Summer. "I think you're just remembering the good stuff. Next time you look back, I really think you should look again."
290 1:16:42 They go and see the Graduate. She cries at the ending. They go to the record store. He makes fun of Ringo. She doesn't hold his hand. He insists they go to dinner. I think this has to be day 290.
456-476 1:18:57 Montage! Of him getting on top of his shit. Reading books, tearing shit off his walls, applying for jobs. Sketching in fast motion.
488 1:21:19 On the bench. He sees Summer there. "I just woke up one day and I knew... what I was never sure of with you." "It just wasn't me that you were right about." "Summer... I really do hope that you're happy."
500 1:27:04 Tom on his final interview. May 23 (Wednesday). Meets Autumn.
fin 1:30:25 //
============================================================================================================
ACTUAL ORDER
============================================================================================================
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER
1 0:01:10 tom his his board meeting. jan 8th. when he first sees summer in his office.
1 0:07:06 board meeting. he sees her for the first time.
3 0:09:18 tom and friend talking about summer from afar. "screw her," that uppity-better-than-everyone bitch.
4 0:09:50 tom meets summer in the elevator. "you like the smiths?" ... "holy shit."
8 0:10:47 party in their office. they have first conversation. tom reveals architect ambitions. after talk, tom has moment of architectural ambitions. it doesn't last long.
11 0:14:21 Tom talking to his sister about Summer while playing Wii. "Just b/c a girl likes the same bizarre crap you do, it doesn't make her your soulmate, Tom" "Whaddaya mean?"
22 0:14:46 "It's off... me and Summer," says Tom talking to his friends. recap: "How was the weekend?" "It was gooooood." Tom thinks she isn't interested in him. He gave her plenty of chances. "I think you KNOW what I need." Tom plays the smiths as she walks by, etc.
27 0:16:53 "This Friday, all you can karaoke, at the Mill!" Work party. It is announced. "The whole office is going."
JUST BEFORE THE COUPLING
28 0:17:33 Karaoke at the Mill. "I like you." "I like you too."
31 0:24:28 copier room. she kisses him! she overheards the jobs/stalking conversation at his apartment ("if any jobs come up..."). its all good. "I'm stalking... I mean, I'm starving..."
34 0:27:21 IKEA. happiness! "our place really is lovely, isn't it!" "the sinks broken... that's okay, thats why we bought a home with two kitchens." she tells him she isn't looking for anything serious. they go home and get it on for the first time. he leaves the next morning and does the famous dance.
COUPLED! REJOICE!
45 0:34:25 summer hums song to tom on the phone, he listens and laughs (at office). "Your girl is losing it," coworker says laughingly (he walked in on her).
87 0:34:41 record store. first time she mentions Ring Starr. adult section in the record store. "that looks pretty doable". shower sex.
95 0:35:32 they sit on THE BENCH for the first time, after tom walks her through the city, talking about architecture. the song from the trailer. "If it were me, I'd make them notice." He draws on her arm.
109 0:38:13 summer shows tom her place for the first time. "for tom hanson, this was the night where everything changed." she tells him about her dreams. "These are stories one had to earn." "I've never told anyone this before." Tom then talks to his friends about how they're not labeled, and he is fine with it..
118 0:41:22 Tom at soccer game, talking to sister for advice. "What should I do?" "You should ask her." He is now stressed about their label and asking sister for advice. Then, he is in the car with her. THey're driving to the movies. He brings it up but she asks "What does it matter? aren't you happy" happy driving music (but really you can tell he is probably still worried).
154 0:13:33 "Its official... I'm in love with Summer." he lists the things he loves about her.
167 0:56:46 Office. Tom is on a roll with card POSITIVE stuff. He helps the whole office. "I love us."
191 0:52:22 Art gallery. then they go to the movies. "Vagiant" (part vampire part giant). They have fun!!!
THE DECLINE STARTS...
259 0:43:45 Tom & Summer at the fancy 50's cocktail bar. Masculine Bob starts a fight. Tom gets hit in the face. Summer is PISSED. "I'm really tired... can we talk about this tomorrow?" She tries to say "We are just friends," but Tom erupts. "You're not the only one who gets a say! I say we're a couple!" Tom storms out, back to his place. She comes over in the middle of the night. They make up.
266 0:51:09 Next morning, they're talking about past boyfriends/girlfriends. Then they play the penis game.
282 0:26:59 IKEA. sadness. she doesn't reciprocate his "our sinks are broken!" game.
THE BREAKUP
290 1:16:42 They go and see the Graduate. She cries at the ending. They go to the record store. He makes fun of Ringo. She doesn't hold his hand. He insists they go to dinner [where she breaks up with him]. I think this has to be day 290.
290 0:03:58 little sister arrives to help out. she sits him down, makes him retell the story. (recap of the diner scene where she breaks up with him)
POST BREAKUP MISERY
303 0:33:27 sad. at office with his coworker. the new assistant is in summer's job. tom is "working on it" (re: getting her back). she responds to his email: "I hope this means you're ready to be friends."
314 0:53:10 Tom at the movies, movie in Italian (of Tom). very sad.
321 0:54:36 Office. Tom gets lectured by his boss b/c of sadness. "Has something happened to you, recently?" He gets assigned to sympathy cards.
322 0:57:36 "I hate summer." he lists the things he hates about her.
345 0:58:05 Tom is on a Blind date. he hates it. he recounts all the times in the past where he first noticed there might be trouble. she brings up the questions: did she ever cheat on you? take advantage of you? etc? the answer = no. they go from diner to karaoke, and he is drunk as fuck.
FALSE RETURN
402 1:00:21 Tom on a train. He sees Summer! They get coffee. Milly's wedding. Summer catches the bouquet. She invites him to the party.
408 1:07:36 Tom at Summer's apartment for the famous duel-screen party. He finds out she is engaged.
...EVEN LOWER DEPTHS
440 1:10:48 Alarm goes off. Tom hates the world.
441 1:10:56 Alarm goes off, Tom hates the world again. He buys Jack Daniels, OJ, and twinkies in his robe.
442 1:11:32 Alarm goes off, Tom is miserable at work. Work meeting. Tom goes off on his rant. "We do a bad thing here... people should be able to say how they feel. How they really feel. Not just words some strangers put in their mouths. I quit. There's enough bullshit in the world without my help."
450 1:15:12 Soccer game. Inspirational music. "Hey, you're sketching again!" But it is a murderous picture of Summer. "I think you're just remembering the good stuff. Next time you look back, I really think you should look again."
GETTING HIS SHIT TOGETHER
456-476 1:18:57 Montage! Of him getting on top of his shit. Reading books, tearing shit off his walls, applying for jobs. Sketching in fast motion.
FINAL CONFRONTATION
488 1:21:19 On the bench. He sees Summer there. "I just woke up one day and I knew... what I was never sure of with you." "It just wasn't me that you were right about." "Summer... I really do hope that you're happy."
MOVING ON
500 1:27:04 Tom on his final interview. May 23 (Wednesday). Meets Autumn.
fin 1:30:25 //
@davidpots
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Thanks all! Here's the AV Club article that linked to this timeline: https://film.avclub.com/after-a-decade-of-discourse-500-days-of-summer-is-ba-1837104854

@BenoitAdam94
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That's what I tough, there's not much scene where they "argue" in the end...

Also day 440 should be day 409

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