50/50 (2011) Review

Director: Jonathan Levine
Writer: Will Reiser
Genre: Dramedy


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Glass of milk - Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Glass of milk - Will Reiser

50/50 is a movie where the main character is diagnosed with cancer, forced to endure chemotherapy, has his girlfriend cheat on him, and eventually has to have life threatening surgery. It is also a movie where Seth Rogen gets to refer to a girl as a ‘C-word’ (which prompted the entire audience to clap and cheer), smoke and drink excessively, and make various attempts at getting laid. The genius of 50/50, written by cancer survivor Will Reiser and directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness), is how perfectly both sides of this film coincide. The title, 50/50, refers to the odds of survival that our protagonist, Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), faces when diagnosed with cancer but it could also be a reference to the two prevailing emotional reactions you will have during this film: 50 percent hilarious, 50 percent heartbreaking.

            The story, based off Reiser’s own experiences, begins when Adam is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after seeing a doctor due to back pains. His hot but bitchy girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard) pretends to be supportive at first, but is in fact the complete opposite. His mother, (played brilliantly by Angelica Huston), completely freaks out, smothering Adam to the point where Adam doesn’t even want to return her calls. And his hospital assigned therapist (Anna Kendrick) is completely unprepared to deal with Adam’s problems, as he is only her third patient ever. This leaves Adam’s best friend Kyle, (Seth Rogen, essentially playing a version of himself), who supports Adam but often acts completely selfish using Adam’s cancer to score chicks for himself.

            But the characters all have much more depth than what we originally see, except for Adam’s girlfriend, who is simply a bitch. The script is miraculous, as Reiser is able to let the audience into Adam’s life and get to know the people that inhabit it.

            The supporting players wouldn’t matter though, were it not for the utterly impeccable lead performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. No performance has been better in 2011, and no performance will be. No superlatives can accurately describe just how good Gordon-Levitt is in 50/50, as he takes the movie into greatness territory, putting the film on his back and soaring with it; he’s in almost every scene. If there was any justice in this world Gordon-Levitt would be in serious contention for an Oscar, but since the Academy only gives Best Actor Oscars to people playing famous dead guys, he’s not even a lock for a nomination. Dear Academy members, Joseph Gordon-Levitt deserves gold for his performance in 50/50!

            Seth Rogen plays one of the most complex characters of his career (though it’s still a distinctly Rogen-esque role, meaning lots of cursing and drugs). Coming off mostly as a self-absorbed jerk of a friend, Rogen is really playing a character that doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings, and thus resorts to building a façade and acting like an immature idiot. Many of the film’s great scenes involve the back and forth banter between Adam and Kyle, and there is no way you can’t laugh out loud, whenever Rogen is onscreen.

            This is a film that could have easily veered into Lifetime Original Movie territory, but Levine is able to steer the story to a perfect balance so that it always feel real. Sure, there may be one too many shots of Adam sitting on a bus as sad music plays, but somehow even that didn’t bother me, like it would in many other movies.

            During his chemotherapy sessions, Adam befriends two other cancer patients played by Matt Frewer and the legendary Phillip Baker Hall (Magnolia), and the few scenes they share absolutely confirm that 50/50 is a no bullshit approach to cancer.

            Angelica Huston deserves Oscar consideration for her role as Adam’s mother, adding huge emotional depth to her character in the short amount of screen time she has. And Anna Kendrick, who was an Oscar nominee for her performance in Up in the Air, is…really pretty, but also really good at making us believe in the interesting therapist/patient relationship she builds with Adam.

            The cinematography avoids falling into the standard sit-com traps, which helps us be a part of the story, instead of watching it from afar. Plus, a good soundtrack and the unique Seattle setting add to the pure enjoyment I had watching this movie. At only 99 minutes, I wish that it were longer.

            50/50 will make you laugh one minute, cry the next minute, and then laugh again. Now that it’s autumn and the studios are releasing all their Oscar movies, there are many good movies to see, but if you only get to see one, you should see this. It’s my favorite movie of the year so far. 50/50 is phenomenal.