Hope you caught my interview Sunday with the creators of my favorite 2009 movie so far, the inventive romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer. It may become yours when it opens locally on Friday. After two viewings, I'm still thoroughly charmed -- the clip above, when Tom and Summer play "house" in an IKEA store is a brief example why -- and didn't mind telling director Marc Webb and screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber about it. Here are some extras that didn't make the final cut:

You guys turn the rom-com formula upside down but with affection for the genre. How do you strike such a balance?

Scott: In retrospect it seems like some sort of reaction to romantic comedies. Occasionally we talk about that but the truth is that it was just a story that came from a very real place. Our objective was to be loyal to that. It wasn’t about deconstructing romantic comedies although it plays out that way

Marc: When I read the script for the first time it was just honest. It wasn’t about copying a genre. It just felt right, an intuitive thing. We rediscovered a lot of things we liked about romantic comedies from the beginning. Some great ones have been made from the guy’s point of view -- Annie Hall, High Fidelity, Say Anything – but they haven’t happened lately.

Michael: It’s only recently that the label ‘romantic comedy’ has become like a dirty word.This is based on Scott’s life; this script came from a very real place, which is why it has its own unique identity. We were so much adhering to a formula than we were trying to find meaning in a real life experience.

That scene in the elevator happened in real life. Scott really likes the Smiths and he was totally smitten with this girl who knew their lyrics. When you find someone who likes the same music that you do, you can think they’re ‘the one.’

Then, of all people, Tom’s little sister advises him in no uncertain terms that isn’t the case. She's like Thelma Ritter to his Rock Hudson.

Michael: (Laughs) I hadn't thought of that but you're right. That’s a very wise statement she makes but he’s not having any of it. He thinks of course it does. It’s a superficial connection that he puts too much meaning on at the beginning of the relationship.

Scott: I’m actually 12 years older than my little sister. I was going through this kind of thing and so was she when she was 11 or 12. She seemed to have a better handle on it than I did. What does it say about society when someone can see things clearer because they’re more innocent?