Sin #32: Baby, Don't Hurt Me

It always begins with a casual encounter.

A friend introduces Annie to Alvy, who finds her attractive and whips a series of intellectual debacles in order to interest her although he is quite unsure of his own charm. Fortunately Annie delights in his sly and witty sense of humor and falls in love with him.

“Annie Hall” was released in 1977 and is the perfect example of the Allen-persona on film; a socially awkward and angst ridden pseudo intellectual from Manhattan who happens to be extremely funny. The movie is full of gags that build a certain kind of momentum although there’s barely any plot at all (it is said that, originally, it featured a murder plot that was completely scrapped in the editing process; that movie was finally made with “Manhattan Murder Mystery” some years later). As a non-traditional love story “Annie Hall” created a revolution that influenced most romantic comedies that followed (from the sweet “When Harry Met Sally” to the lesbian-themed “Kissing Jessica Stein” among many).

Now, picture the scenario some 30 years later in a greeting card company where a young man named Tom meets a girl named Summer. While Alvy sometimes broke the fourth wall with his endlessly inventive monologues, Tom draws from popular culture to describe his relationship and the 500 days he spent dealing with the pains of a love that wasn’t meant to be.

“(500) Days of Summer” could do for our generation what “Annie Hall” did for our parents’. Both cement themselves in a particular time and create three-dimensional character who we feel for. What’s so universal about their appeal is that everyone can relate to them at some point in their lives. When Alvy takes Annie home and begins speaking to her, we see subtitles (representing their thoughts) that undermine every word being spoken. Later, in a love scene, Alvy watches as her spirit leaves her body and realizes she isn’t into sex as much as he is.

Tom, on the other hand, after making love to Summer bursts into a song and dance number featuring a song by Hall and Oats and when his relationship goes sour he begins to see his life as a French New Wave movie (…endless suffering).

It’s these kinds of emotions that connect with the audience, since most people have felt exhilaration and disappointment on equal measure and have used film and music as a way to describe their feelings.

And even though both movies don’t have a traditional happy ending, we pretty much know Tom, Summer, Alvy and Annie are going to be all right. We care too much for them to wish them any harm.