Scene Description Spotlight: “(500) Days of Summer”

One of the best moments in the delightful film (500) Days of Summer is the morning-after-having-sex-with-Summer-big-dance-bit.

Here’s a plot summary:

He’s Tom, from New Jersey, working in L.A. writing greeting cards even through he’s an architect by training. She’s Summer, in from Michigan. Day one is her first day as an AA in Tom’s office. We jump back and forth in time: by day 67, they’ve become an item when she decides to put aside the lovemaking and just be friends. Tom, a romantic who’s sure Summer is the one for him, wallows in self pity. We go back to the early days and see the relationship begin. Summer tells him right away that she doesn’t believe in love. He mopes well past day 100. Then, as day 500 approaches, they find themselves at a wedding together. Does the old flame rekindle? Is Tom right that destiny controls love?

Here’s that scene:

Here is the scene as written in the script with a lead-in from the night before:

Two things. First, as screenwriters, it’s not our job to choreograph every dance move in a scene like this, but rather set the mood and provide suggestions. Paul Newman’s image? Hall and Oates appear on screen? Sure, why not? It contributes to the fun of the scene and the script read. But once production begins, there are actual people — the director, choreographer, etc — who will handle the specifics of said scene.

Second, this may seem like merely a fun scene. Yes, it is fun. But it actually underscores something important in terms of story: Tom is a total romantic. So when he consummates his relationship with Summer, it follows logically — per his romanticism — that he would have a fantastical scene like this in which the whole world acknowledges… not once, but twice… that he is “the man.”

By the way, they filmed a version of Tom’s “worst day ever.” Here that is:

For more Scene Description Spotlight articles, go here.