Before I begin, let me just say this: the majority of you who clicked on this article probably hate this movie, and are just reading this out of sheer boredom, or as a distraction from actual work you have to get done. A small handful of you might actually enjoy this movie, and are interested in what I have to say.

To the majority of you who dislike this movie, I urge you to read this article with an open mind. Let me guess; you think this movie sucked because it was actually different than the typical “love story.” Guy falls in love with girl, they date happily for a while, girl breaks up with guy, guy tries to get her back, but plot twist– he doesn’t win her back, and is forced to move on with his life. You probably left the theater angry, in tears, thinking, ‘Well that was depressing.” Well, guess what – that’s life. And you’re right. Life is depressing. But all of those happy movies you are used to watching are a stretch of reality, whereas (500) Days of Summer is the real thing. Most of the time, when one falls for another, chances are they aren’t going to end up together. It will be a long, painful journey, trying to win them back and eventually trying to get over them but again, that’s just life. (500) Days of Summer exhibits this reality, and sheds some light on the fact that heartbreak is normal, and better yet – that it will all be okay.

And I understand your disappointment, I really do. Movies are supposed to act as our escape from reality, not offer us a glimpse into it. A lot of us watch movies to forget the issues we are dealing with, not to see them acted out by people much better looking than us (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel in this case). However, sometimes it helps to watch our realities from an outside perspective. When we are living them, in the moment, it’s easy to get caught up in all the feelings, all the drama, and forget our logic and reason. But sitting in a theater, watching a situation similar to yours, gives you the chance to reflect on the happenings in your life. And hey – you may even find yourself comforted by watching your troubles acted out on the big screen. Because at least you know you’re not alone.

So, once again, if you are someone who hates this movie, I challenge you to watch it again. Whilst doing so, reminisce of your first crush, relationship, love, and think of the reality of the situation. I’m sure many aspects will align perfectly with the storyline, unless you are one of the very few who stumbled into a relationship that has realized no hardships, no ailments, just happiness. If that’s the case, then kudos to you – really, that’s actually amazing. But for the many more of us who have yet to happen upon the perfect relationship, those of us who are still getting over heartbreaks and trying to move past the one that got away – it’s relatable. You may actually learn something from it, and maybe it will help realign your perspective on love and relationships. Because it sure did for me.

Vance: "Roses are red, violets are blue... F*ck you, whore."

Once of my favorite quotes from the movie. For those who haven’t seen it, this is a greeting card that Tom writes after his breakup with Summer… as you can see, there are still some hard feelings. The reason this quote perfectly falls into the realm of good advice is because it shows that it’s okay to be angry after a breakup. In fact, it’s normal.It would be unnatural if there weren’t hard feelings. Sure, you might say that your separation was mutual, and you are both being mature about it, and that you are both staying friends, but let’s be real – that’s a load of bullshit. If you were really invested in this person, and had serious feelings for them, it wouldn’t be so easy to let them go. There would be some lingering feelings of remorse and anger, and that’s okay. That’s normal.

So let it out! Someone break your heart? Tweet about it! Write a poem! Make a greeting card! I don’t care how you do it (although your ex may care, so maybe think twice before tweeting about it), but so long as you express that anger in a healthy way, it will make the process of moving on much, much easier. Tom Hansen chose greeting cards. Since I’m assuming you don’t work for Hallmark, I suggest working out. Or listening to Taylor Swift on repeat. Your choice. But it will definitely help, so don’t be afraid to be angry.

Tom: "People don't realize this, but loneliness is underrated."

YES. Yes. Preach Tom. This is something that I do not understand – I guess people just have different preferences, but still - some people hate the idea of being alone. And I’m not just talking about in a relationship sense, like Tom is in this quote. I mean just in general. So many of us constantly need to be surrounded by people, friends, anyone really. I don’t think that’s healthy, to be constantly surrounded by people. Even the people you love, your best friends, your family, it helps to take a break from those around you. Even if just for one night, or for a day. And this includes contact via phone, social media, etc.

True alone time is hard to come by in the world we live in, but it can do wonders, especially on someone who is going through a hard time, like a break up. Take time to think, reflect, daydream for all I care. Get lost in your mind for a few hours. Pick up that sketch pad that’s been sitting at the bottom of your desk drawer. Watch your favorite movie. Surf the web. Google a topic you’re interested in and read about it. Whatever you choose to do, spending time alone can give you a break from all the stress and anguish you might be experiencing, and may be just the kind of remedy you need.

Tom: "Look, we don't have to put a label on it. That's fine. I get it. But, you know, I just... I need some consistency."

Summer: "I know."

Tom: "I need to know that you're not gonna wake up in the morning and feel differently."

Summer: "And I can't give you that. Nobody can."

I wouldn’t be surprised if many people were throwing tomatoes at the screen at this point – there’s only so much a person can take, and Summer makes it really hard for us to like her in this movie. But just take a second and think about it, and you’ll realize how accurate this statement is. No one can promise you the consistency of their feelings. I’m sorry if you disagree, but you’re wrong – feelings really don’t have any consistency whatsoever. Human emotions are extremely complex, and you don’t have to be a psychology major to know that. There is no way of telling how someone is going to feel about you tomorrow, let alone a year from now. Things change. People change. And as badly as we all want that security, and that constant comfort from our significant other, the truth is we just can’t ask that from them.

Life is constant game of surprises and risks. Every day poses a new risk; the risk that your best friend will meet someone who she enjoys spending time with more than you. The risk that your crush will meet a nice girl who he suddenly falls in love with. Love doesn’t have an "off" switch. You could be perfectly content with someone, but then you meet someone else, and suddenly new feelings arise. It happens. It’s life. It’s just one of those things you have to accept, and once you do, moving on will be a lot easier.

Paul: "Robin is better than the girl of my dreams. She's real."

We get so caught up in the media, the photographs, those around us. We have this idea in our heads of the perfect boyfriend or girlfriend, what a relationship is supposed to be, what a first date is should look like. The problem with us is that we all fall in love the idea of a person. We build them up to sit on some throne, we expect way too much out of them, and when they do not live up to our unrealistic expectations, we throw them aside, and we find someone else to unrealistically glorify. This quote shows us what we fail to see – someone who is real, with faults, mistakes, and imperfections, is better than any unrealistic figure that we conjure up in our minds.

Summer: "I just... I just woke up one day and I knew."

Tom: "Knew what?"

Summer: "...What I was never sure of with you."

This may be one of the hardest (500) Days of Summer quotes to accept. But once you finally do, you will be able to move on much easier, and carry a lot less grudges with you. Tom Hansen was right to be mad; as I’m sure many of us are at the thought of our previous relationships, and where our exes are now. Summer never wanted to be tied down to Tom, she never wanted to put a label on their relationship – but she meets someone else, and is ready to be his wife. Any of us would be angry in this situation, and rightfully so. Some may call her hypocritical, or a liar, or just plain heartless towards Tom. But the truth is laid out simply in the quote above. She felt something towards the new guy she met that she never felt towards Tom. Simple as that. You can’t force someone to feel a special way towards you – that’s not how it works. And you can’t blame them for developing feelings towards someone else, no matter how much it might hurt.

At the end of the day, people are helpless against their feelings, and that’s alright, because one day you’ll fall subject to them too, when you meet the right person. But until then, let go of the person who broke your heart, and let them move on too. Holding a grudge against them for falling in love with someone who isn’t you won’t do you any good. Respect their feelings, be happy for them, and move forward, because your Autumn is out there somewhere, too.