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If there is a message that the new film “50/50” runs with openly, it’s that cancer sucks. Although the disease is ultimately life-altering, and not a topic typically discussed on the screen, it serves a distinct purpose in the latest dramedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen.
Gordon-Levitt is perfect as the charming, nail-biting and non-driving Adam. As the film opens, Adam is a man that has everything: a job at a local radio station, a pretty girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard) and a carefree, lovable best bud (Rogen).
Suddenly, his life is turned upside down when he learns his lower back pain is being caused by a neurofibroma sarcoma schwannoma, or in English, a malignant tumor along his spine. The odds of survival are a clear-cut 50/50.
Adam’s mother (Angelica Houston) immediately and forcefully insists she must move in, despite the fact that she already has her hands full looking after her Alzheimer’s-afflicted husband. Adam swears his girlfriend Rachael (Howard) will be there for him, but when she can’t handle the pressures of their relationship, he’s left with his goofy friend Kyle (Rogen) and his hospital-assigned therapist, Katherine (Anna Kendrick).
Rogen co-wrote the script with screenwriter and friend Will Reiser, who was diagnosed with and overcame cancer in his mid-20s. He decided to write about his experiences with a little friendly nudging from Rogen.
What makes “50/50” a success is the writing, which steers a subject like cancer away from potentially depressing territory.
The movie includes profanity and crass jokes, but also surprising levity when dealing with such an intense topic.
Rogen provides a lot of the movie’s laughs; in a particular scene when he calls Rachael out for cheating on Adam (expletives included), you can’t help but love the guy.
Adam’s interactions with Katherine (Kendrick) are also pretty entertaining. His cynicism at being studied by a grad student quickly subsides as they develop an awkward, yet friendly, rapport. It’s obvious the two like each other; they just need something big to bring them together.
The real star of the film is Gordon-Levitt’s Adam, and not just because he’s the guy who has cancer. He embodies the essence of our generation. We think we’re young and invincible, but “50/50” displays the fragility of life with a realistic charm.
Adam is the quintessential everyman: if it can happen to him, who’s to say it couldn’t happen to us? Gordon-Levitt channels Adam’s frustration, anger and helplessness skillfully, but ultimately keeps the role from getting too dark with a flash of his endearing half-smile.
“50/50” pulls off the impossible, providing a movie that’s as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. But more importantly, it proves an age-old adage true: Sometimes, laughter really is the best medicine.
