Viewed in
2011, 2012
Formats
Movie theater, DVD
Premise
Joseph-Gordon Levitt stars as a young man who is diagnosed with cancer.
Liked
Performances, realistic treatment of cancer.
Thoughts
A well-acted, smart dramedy that hits all the right emotional notes.
The writing was impressive. Will Reiser treated the subject of cancer with respect. This shouldn't be a surprise, considering his bout with it. Nevertheless, it does not take away from the fact that he wrote an intelligent script with relatable, human characters. The story had an excellent balance of serious overtones and lively dialog. This was dramedy done right.
I think most people have had a brush with cancer through loved ones or themselves, and the writing reflects the experiences of hearing the news, the stress on their loved ones, a glimmer of the toll of chemotherapy, and the fear of losing the battle.
As for the acting, it was as excellent as the writing. Levitt once again delivered another stellar performance of charm and heart. Seth Rogen was wonderful as his goofy buddy, but was also very believable in the heavy moments. After watching her in Up in the Air and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and now here as Levitt's adorably green therapist, I'm now madly in love with Anna Kendrick. All the minor characters were well-acted too, especially Angelica Huston as Levitt's mom who feels powerless.
If I had to nitpick, some of the song choices were a bit on-the-nose (cue Thom Yorke wailing "Don't leave me high/Don't leave me dry" as Levitt felt alone).
50/50 made me laugh and cry heartily in all the right places. I give it mad props not just because it was ambitious and difficult, but because it was simply a wonderfully-acted and written piece of work.
