Rated
R (Language Throughout, Sexual Content and some Drug Use)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 39 Minutes
Cast:
Joseph
Gordon-Levitt-Adam Lerner
Seth
Rogen-Kyle
Anna
Kendrick-Dr. Katherine ‘Katie’ McKay
Bryce
Dallas Howard-Rachael
Anjelica
Huston-Diane Lerner
Serge
Houde-Richard Lerner
Philip
Baker Hall-Alan
Matt
Frewer-Mitch
Directed
by Jonathan Levine
 |
| He's doing it! He's really shaving it all! |
People
in their twenties,or young people in general, often get caught up in that
mindset where they feel they’re invincible. I know this because I’m still in my twenties and my
grandmother often berates me about the cavalier attitude I have towards my
health. This does not mean I'm not concerned but I'm of the belief that even if I do
get sick, I will bounce back, better than ever. Now imagine this scenario:
what if you were diagnosed with a rare, malignant form of cancer and you're
only just twenty-seven? This is the premise of "50/50," a comedy/drama directed
by Jonathan Levine and written by Will Reiser, loosely based upon his
experiences living with cancer when he was diagnosed with a spinal tumor at the
age of twenty-four and how his best friend, Seth Rogen, helped him on the long road to
recovery. Reiser is currently in his sixth year of remission and has cheerfully
remarked that it 'apparently lasts forever…or until you die.' A comedy about a
man dealing with cancer is a tricky film to do but Levine and Reiser pull it
off with ease, providing a heavy dose of laughs but never losing sight that
every day we are faced with our own mortality. Reiser's experiences lend a
sense of realism to "50/50" as the drama is heartfelt without feeling
forced or maudlin. This is, without a doubt, one of the best films of 2011.
Twenty-seven year old Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
lives life on the safe side: he waits for the walk sign to appear while doing
his morning jogs even if there are no cars in sight and refuses to learn how to
drive, as it is the 'nation's fifth leading cause of death.' Suffering from
intermittent back pains, Adam visits the doctor for a check-up and discovers to
his shock that he has a rare form of spinal cancer. The doctor, who appears to
be unsympathetic, informs Adam that if he wants, he can speak to a psychiatrist
at the hospital. At home, Adam tells his girlfriend, Rachel (Bryce Dallas
Howard), and says that she has an opportunity to leave with no hard feelings if
she feels she cannot handle the stress. Although clearly uncomfortable, Rachel
refuses and tells him that they'll get through it. His best friend Kyle (Seth
Rogen) is upset at this unpleasant news but upon learning that Adam's chances
of survival are 50%, he immediately cheers up, remarking that those are great
odds and that he'll be fine. With great reluctance, Adam reveals his condition
to his mother, Diane (Anjelica Huston), who wants to move in so she can take
care of him but he stops her since she already has to take care of his father,
Richard (Serge Houde), who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. During his
chemotherapy treatments, Adam befriends two older cancer patients, Alan (Philip
Baker Hall) and Mitch (Matt Frewer), who share some macaroons filled with
marijuana. He also begins to see a young psychiatrist working toward her
doctorate named Katherine 'Katie' McKay (Anna Kendrick) and an awkward romance
forms between them. Despite the efforts of his best friend to uplift his
spirits, Adam soon begins to slip into a depression as he comes to terms with
the fact that he will die.
People always say laughter is the best medicine.
After all, if you were faced with your own imminent mortality, wouldn't you want to
spend your final days among the people you love rather than being trapped in a
depression? For the most part, the script of "50/50" hits the expected
beats as Adam goes through Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' five stages of grief
(sometimes all at the same time) but the film skillfully avoids turning into an
exploitative, melodramatic tear-jerker along the lines of 2009's "My
Sister's Keeper" by providing humor in such a way that it does not
trivialize what he is going through. Although certain elements recall 2008's "Pineapple
Express," there are still several laugh-out-loud hilarious scenes,
including the much advertised head-shaving and using cancer as a pick-up line
in order to get laid but much of the comedy is often morbid, especially when
Adam gets high on marijuana during a chemotherapy session with two patients and
leaves the hospital laughing at everything. As Will Reiser partially based the
script on his own experiences, the pain that Adam goes through has a palpable
realism where the drama never feels artificial in order to induce a reaction
from the audience. When he finally breaks down and screams in anguish knowing
he may die the next day, I felt tears well up in my eyes and even the most
jaded viewer will find it hard not to be affected in such a way. The emotional
core of "50/50" lies in Adam and Katie's burgeoning romance and it's
the kind I always love to watch: sweet, innocent, and awkward but most
importantly, believable. As an inexperienced psychiatrist, Katie has a tendency
to put her hand on Adam's shoulder to comfort him but he remarks that it feels 'creepy.'
By the film's end, you're just yearning for Adam to survive his ordeal just so we
can see him finally happy and be with someone who appreciates him. Balancing
comedy and drama is a tightrope act but Levine and Reiser succeed beyond a
reasonable doubt, crafting a film that will make you cry just as much as it'll
make you laugh.
The success of "50/50" can be contributed to Joseph
Gordon-Levitt, who appears to be unable to do no wrong as he continues to
effortlessly grasp all the nuances that his numerous roles ask of him. His
performance is so good it's as if he
lived the life of a cancer patient because the emotion on display has a raw,
genuine quality to them. While I have no doubt that he will be nominated for an
Academy Award, it remains to be seen whether he'll win as the competition is
fierce, especially from Ryan Gosling. It's amazing to see how far Levitt has
come since "3rd Rock from the Sun." Seth Rogen is basically playing
an exaggerated version of himself but he shows a rare depth that's largely
unseen in his previous work. Anna Kendrick, who has one of the most adorable
smiles, continues to prove that the "Twilight" films are beneath her
as a sympathetic yet also sweet and awkward psychiatrist. In fact, it's that
awkward quality that lends "50/50" its heart and soul. Bryce Dallas
Howard once again plays someone unlikable as her character decides to cope with
the stress by having an affair. It's a role that plays to her strengths, although
I'd wish she step outside her comfort zone. Anjelica Huston, Philip Baker Hall,
and Matt Frewer have minor supporting roles but they make the most of it by
stealing every scene they're in.
Riding a wave of positive buzz, "50/50"
was released on September 30, 2011 to critical acclaim and has earned a
stunning 92% on Rotten Tomatoes,
running neck and neck with Gosling's "Drive." Critics hailed that the
film 'maneuvers between jokes and drama with surprising finesse.'
Unfortunately, interest for the film appears to be middling judging from the
sparsely populated theater (granted, it was
a morning screening) and its low debut of $2.9 million points to a weekend
total of approximately $8 million, the same as its production budget so
positive word-of-mouth should make it
a minor success. Another reason that audiences might not be going in droves is
its rather depressing subject matter and I have read some comments from those
who find it in poor taste in mixing cancer with comedy. However, their opinion
was based on the official trailer alone but they're unlikely to change their
minds to see the film, which is disappointing given its quality. Funny without
being obnoxious, emotionally affecting without being manipulative, "50/50"
does everything right and if it isn't obvious already, this is easily one of my
favorite films of 2011 so stop dilly-dallying and run to the theater!
Final
Rating: 5 out of 5
"You
can't change your situation. The only thing that you can change is how you
choose to deal with it."
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