The first time I watched it, there was a somewhat disjointed feel to it. I wasn't so saddened by the ending since Joe's character still had something going for him, even if only temporarily, inspite of what happened (that and my lack of experience in lovely matters, I think, are the causes of my indifference to his plight). When the credits started to roll, I remembered the presentation of the main characters in hindsight to the event that will change the lives of one of them, which is Tom Hansen. He is the believer in love and all the romantic notions attached to it. The movie's trailer made it clear that "this is not a love story," reinforced by the opening scene where Tom's sister comes to the rescue of the dishes still left unbroken by the distraught male lead. He had long been in search for the perfect partner, and he thought he finally meets her at the company where he writes and has a knack for coming up with Hallmark-esque messages for cards. I think the narrator said he had a somewhat distorted view of love because of a misinterpretation of the ending of The Graduate (which I haven't watched yet). And here was Summer, beautiful, averaging 20 double takes during a one-way trip to work, and seeming to work wonders in the karma of apartment landlords she stays in. Not only that, she loves The Smiths, which is just one Tom's favorite musicians.
But this point of view is not shared by Summer, who is, at most instances, quite the reluctant lover. Tom was still determined to get her back, thus the number of days in the title, and his obvious fixation with her. At the point when he is near realization, he remembers those instances when Summer was not experiencing the same level of romanticity as he was. He was very happy then, seeing things from a different perspective, with no notion that everything will go terribly wrong afterwards. It's when he faces up to the facts that he grieves, shuts himself from the world... and bounces back with a new form. He is now fulfilling his dream of becoming an architect. And meets a possible new soulmate in the personality of Autumn.
Of course, some people find the one sooner than you do. Some find that person at a later point in their lifetime. One of his best friends identified the traits of his dream girlfriend, but still she is just a dream. He still prefers his current girlfriend of seven years very much because "she is real."
This whole thing brought to me again the realization that change is the only constant thing in the world. Even if you're having the time of your life, even if now everything is perfect, there are sooo many other factors which would change what would happen to you one second, one minute, one hour, one day, one week, one year later. Even if you're in a super state of bliss, the person who you think you're enjoying it with may be on a different plane entirely, but exhibiting the sort of emotions/reactions that you picture yourself seeing. From stories and first-hand accounts, I guess that's just the thing about love. One moment, you're floating in the clouds. Next thing you know, you're in the most abyssal of the abysses. You can't be assured of permanence because things happen unpredictably. That's why my mom likes to make sure she has something available in cases of emergency (okay, an entirely different situation but valid nonetheless). I guess that's why some people become pessimistic with all the frustrations that they experience. It's so hard to keep up an optimistic outlook when you're disappointed time and again, when all you want is a chance to be happy or contented.
I started this post with a very simple point in mind with the objective of expounding on it, but the worldliness of that simple point just as soon as left me, so instead I'm left with this, a bit of talk about love.
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