50/50 Review

50/50

Written by Will Reiser
Directed by Jonathan Levine

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anna Kendrick.

How do you face cancer? It’s no easy road. I couldn’t begin to devise a plan to deal with it if I was diagnosed myself. Adam wasn’t ready either. Nor was he ready to hear that his type of cancer gave him only a 50/50 chance of survival.

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27 year old who writes pieces for AM radio, and works along side his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen). Adam lives with his girlfriend despite the fact that his best friend hates her guts. Adam’s girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard), a struggling painter who looks for the constant support from him struggles to deal with everything when the tables are turned and Adam needs the support. While sick at home, Rachael cheats on Adam at her art show, and Kyle (Seth Rogen) catches her in the act. Kyle makes sure to confront Adam about it in front of Rachael, where Kyle convinces Adam to throw her out.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a phenomenal job playing Adam, and I was able to feel every emotion that came into his head throughout his struggle. Anna Kendrick plays Adam’s inexperience psychologist, Katherine McCay and she does a perfect job at trying to counsel him, yet she is unable to avoid getting personally involved in his life outside of the sessions. Don’t worry, this isn’t just a great drama, this is a great warm feeling comedy. For example: After Rachael moves out, Kyle gets Adam to hook up with girls at a club after explaining to them that he has cancer, so that Adam can forget about what Rachael did to him. Seth Rogen helps keep this just as much of a comedy as it is a drama that you don’t want to miss. Also notable performances by: Angelica Huston, and Phillip Baker Hall. 50/50 sounds like a coin toss, but this film offers much more than heads and tails.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and maybe some of the other actors got nominated for the Golden Globes, or the much anticipated Academy Awards this coming winter.

9 out of 10