500 Days of Summer 開場沒多久，我們就看到男主角 Tom 告訴 Summer 他本來學的是建築，但因為找不到工作，無奈地接受了老友介紹的一個創作賀卡職位，不經不覺就過了四五年。

SUMMER: How long have you worked here?
TOM: Oh, you know, 4, 5 … years.
SUMMER: Really? Jesus. Did you always want to write greeting cards?
TOM: Are you nuts? I don’t even want to do it now.
SUMMER: What is it you want to do?
TOM: I studied to be an architect actually.
SUMMER: That’s so cool! what happened?
TOM: Eh, you know. Same old story. Moved to the city to work for a company. Company went under. Needed a job. My friend worked here. Got me this.
SUMMER: And are you any good?
TOM: Well I wrote that one.
SUMMER: “Today You’re a Man. Mazel Tov on your Bar Mitzvah.”
TOM: It’s a big seller.
SUMMER: I meant, are you any good as an architect?
TOM: Oh … No. I doubt it~
SUMMER: Well, I’d say you’re a perfectly … adequate … greeting card writer.

我們也看到，Tom 跟 Summer 在一起的日子，精神特別煥發，自己的工作超額完成之餘，還幫了不少同事一把。對於創作賀卡，Tom 原來都是有天份的。不過，另一方面，他對建築的火，根本還未熄滅。他會帶 Summer 在都市中遊走，對城中的建築物指點評論，他會和她一起來到一個看建築的秘密高點，他也會在她的手臂上畫上他想像中的美好城市。

理想 VS 現實，長久以來都是工作上矛盾的源頭，Tom 無力改變，也沒有勇氣去改變。只是，當有人問他為甚麼會轉行，Tom 的黑色幽默就出來了……

PARTYGOER: So Tom, what is it that you do?
TOM: I uh, I write greeting cards.
SUMMER: Tom could be a really great architect if he wanted to be.
PARTYGOER: That’s unusual, I mean, what made you go from one to the other?
TOM: I guess I just figured, why make something disposable like a building when you can make something that last forever, like a greeting card.

不是看到這裡，我也不為意編劇設定 Tom 設計賀卡的工作，原來就是為了要以賀卡的用完即棄，來對比建築物對年月的見證。

跟 Summer 分開後，Tom 對本來已經不感興趣的工作更加恍如放棄一般。老闆召他進去，大家都以為他會被辭退，但原來老闆見他失戀，便將他調離喜慶組，讓他轉去創作喪病慰問卡，希望他的悲哀，可以轉化成用來賣錢的產品。

到了最後，Tom 對 Summer 絕望的同時，也終於忍受不住，將長久以來壓抑著，對賀卡的不滿，一次過在一眾同事面前爆發出來。

TOM: Yes but think about it! Why do people buy these things? Not to say how they feel. There’s paper and pens for that. People give these cards when they can’t say how they feel. Or they’re afraid to. And we provide the service that lets ’em get away with that! I say to hell with it! Let’s level with America. Or at least make them speak for themselves!

TOM: It’s these greeting cards, Sir, these cards, these movies, these pop songs. They’re responsible for all the lies, the heartache, everything! We’re responsible! I think we do a bad thing here. People should be able to say how they feel, how they really feel, without some strangers putting words in their mouths. The truth. A card is a nice thought but it shouldn’t do the dirty work for you. You love someone, tell them yourself, in your own words. Maybe it’s not love at all. Maybe there’s no such thing as love. Maybe it’s … it’s all crap. We make and peddle crap. And sometimes people believe in this crap. I just can’t do it anymore, Mr. Vance. There’s enough bullshit in the world without my help. I quit.

我們選購賀卡，大概就是自己不懂有話直說，而要去依靠一張購買回來的「罐頭」賀詞，讓它來當自己的「示愛代言人」，「祝福代言人」，「慰問代言人」，甚至「孝順代言人」。

自己不懂說，樣樣都要人代言，不是很悲哀嗎？

看看自己，這麼喜歡這一齣電影，會不會就是 Tom 這個角色，根本就是我某段經歷的代言人呢？

同場播放：自家試唱「悲哀代言人」