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Parenthesis in the title. Zooey Deschanel dressing up in silly clothing. The two main characters sharing a love of The Smiths. A musical number complete with a bit of hand-drawn animation. Could a movie get any more indie?

Perhaps surprisingly, you don’t need to be a hipster to enjoy this film.

STORYTELLING:  
The film starts out by telling you that it’s not a love story in the sense of having a happy ending — in case you didn’t figure that out from the title. It’s about one young man’s disconnect between his expectations and reality. There’s even one scene that spells it out for you in the bluntest way possible, but it’s handled perfectly.

You also know from the start that the movie is non-linear, which was probably the best way to spruce up the fairly humdrum relationship. The film touches on key events that both initiate and destroy the relationship, usually skipping back and forth between good and bad. I say humdrum because looking back, it’s not the most original or interesting course of events, but the story is told in a way that is consistently entertaining. Although, some people who have just suffered a tough breakup might not feel the same way.

The film is anchored by a great performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the naive young Tom who, the minute he sees Summer (Deschanel), knows she’s the one. As the relationship develops, he never understands why she doesn’t feel same about him as he does about her, even though she stated from the beginning she wasn’t looking for something serious. Deschanel does her job of looking pretty and being — arguably — a bitch. It’s all about perspective!

The small supporting cast does a pretty great job, from Tom’s friend McKenzie asking Tom what the hell is wrong with him, to Tom’s little sister dispensing advice as if she were an experienced 40-year-old woman. Between the sister character in particular and the musical dance scene in the middle of the movie, there’s a bit of light-heartedness that tempers the ultimate crushing of Tom’s soul.

Those unrealistic, and possibly too cutesy, components of the film allowed me to handle the final word of the script a bit better than some other people I’ve come across. Sure, roll your eyes, but it fits well enough. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

But even with those parts, the film manages to stay true to its emotional roots, and that’s the most important thing, isn’t it? Tom’s bewilderment and broken heart really do hit home. It’s about him learning from his first love and heartbreak. It’s about his growth coming out of that world of hurt. And it’s told in a way that is clever, energetic, and heartfelt.