The Story Behind the '500 Days of Summer'
Filed under: Comedy, Romance, Scripts
Back in July, Erik posed the question: Who is Jenny Beckman? Her name popped up in the snarky intro to 500 Days of Summer, and inspired a bunch of questions. Is she the girl on Facebook, a fake name used for comedic value, or a real person who somehow allowed her name to be used?Most of the mystery has now been answered, folks. Screenwriter Scott Neustadter wrote a post for the Daily Mail called "(500) Days of Summer: Revenge is writing a film about the girl who dumped you," outlining the story behind the story. Yes, there is a girl, who may or may not be called Jenny Beckman. While they didn't work together at a greeting card company (they met at school), he did fall hard, she didn't quite feel the same way, and the pair still tried to make a casual relationship out of the deal.
The intro is a little smidge of hyperbole with its "It is surely the greatest act of revenge in the history of cinema," but it's a good read, and is nice to see how real experiences can be translated to the big screen. Even better, our "What happened next?" curiosity can be satisfied. Neustadter did show her the script, and as he says: "She loved the story, she said. It had surprised and moved her because she really related to Tom. Yes, incredibly, Jenny hadn't recognised herself as Summer at all."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-01-2009 @ 7:17PM
mdk said...
And yet people never learn that "falling hard" is a bad deal all around, do they? They keep on doing the same damn thing over and over to their own detriment and to the detriment of the sanity of those around them who have to listen to their incessant whining. Wise up peeps: "Love" doesn't actually even exist, it's just your neuro-chemicals talking, and you don't have to listen if you don't want to. It may sound cynical, but it is only too true. Your choice: Learn or crash and burn.
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9-01-2009 @ 10:31PM
Andy said...
'500 Days of Summer' was the best time I had at the movies all summer. Wish I would learn and stop giving 'blockbusters' a fair shake and wait around for gems like this.
No way MDK, love exists...but 'hard' irrational love certainly messes people up. John Lennon said it...all you need is love.
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9-02-2009 @ 11:31AM
ronmoses said...
The film was very good, but I don't see much revenge value in it, as I thought Summer came off quite well. Sure, she often seems unsure as to what she wants, or to what she's feeling at any given moment, but that's everyone. And the film points out that she was honest with Tom up front about not wanting a relationship.
If anything, Tom is the one who doesn't look so good at the end of the day.
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11-28-2009 @ 1:41AM
JonasOfToronto said...
No way, JENNY in the story is a woman performing her natural function of selection. I think the story writer came to terms with this fact of nature, and that is important in becoming a man who can 'deal' - yes it seems a woman has the power to rip your heart out, but THAT is because we, my brothers, hand over that power to her, because we are in an undeveloped state.
A woman doesn't want that, she doesn't want a man who gives up his power to her, she wants a man who can stand strong in the face of any of her tests, and trials that would wither the spirit of any ordinary man who becomes too easily hurt or disappointed. Actually that's a little boy not a man.
So, mates, that is out lot as males of the species. Don't look for a woman to complete your deficiencies, or understand your angst. You must be a rock. Women have WAY more liability in the game, and can suffer no fools gladly.
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