(500) Days of Summer Review

Messages: Love doesn't conquer all in this romantic dramedy, but no matter how complicated or troublesome, it’s portrayed as being absolutely necessary. It has the power to change and serves a source of wisdom. The movie also realistically shows that love alone isn't necessarily enough to keep a relationship going -- it’s only one of a number of elements that need to exist.

Role models: In a pleasantly surprising role reversal from most romantic movies, the main male character is eager to embrace love in all its prickly splendor, and the woman is unafraid to question its necessity. And both characters are complex, rather than caricatures of their gender.

Violence: Loud arguing among couples. Some plate-breaking. A man punches another at a bar.

Sex: More talk than action -- there's some kissing and hugging, and one scene shows a couple supposedly trying to have sex in the shower (although all viewers see is rustling behind the shower curtain). There's also some frank discussion among friends about sex, including references to topics like hand jobs and anal sex. A young teenager counsels her older brother on how to navigate relationships.

Language: Fairly frequent use of words like “bitch,” “screw,” “skank,” and “s--t,” plus one instance of "f--k." Other words include "hell," "damn," "goddamn," "ass," etc.

Consumerism: Logos for Twinkies, Tennessee whisky, and AT&T.

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Social drinking. A few characters (of legal drinking age) get quite drunk at a karaoke bar.