Let me just start out by saying that I am not one to cry or get so emotionally involved in a movie to even tear up. I'm like a brick wall when it comes down to it. Last night however, I saw a film that really hit me hard with a lot of different emotions. Fear, grief, pity, and just flat out sadness to the point of misty eyes. That film is the comedy/drama, "50/50". It is filled with veteran actors such as Phillip Baker Hall and Anjelica Huston, current day stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, and the young and lovely Anna Kendrick. The odd thing is that this excellent story was tied with Evan Goldberg, the same guy who wrote "Superbad", and is based off of the real life events of the writer Will Reiser. It tells a story of internal struggle, emotional turmoil, and how friendship can get you through even the most daring of odds, like a 50/50 chance of surviving cancer.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam Lerner, a young man with a successful journalist job at a local radio station and a beautiful girlfriend. Things couldn't be going any better for the guy, except his best friend is Seth Rogen, who plays Kyle. Kyle is a selfish, womanizing prick on the outside but a caring, warmhearted prick on the inside. Adam has been experiencing back pains for a while and decides to go get it checked out. What the doctor comes back with is the troublesome news of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (thank you Wikipedia) on his spine. This prompts Adam to undergo chemotherapy and eventual surgery to remove the tumor and save his life. He breaks the news to his Kyle, who takes it hard (though it may not seem like it at first), his girlfriend, who takes it worse, and then his mother and Alzheimer's-afflicted father, who take it the hardest.
Adam seems to deal with it quite easily with his accepting sensibilities, even practically calling his inexperienced therapist unhelpful, hurting her in the process. The characterization of Adam is a man who had everything, then the world came crashing down on his shoulders suddenly, causing his emotions to be sort of sheltered in the dark regions of his mind. Gordon-Levitt captures this character flawlessly, and really draws you in with his performance.
Kyle uses Adam's dilemma as a chance for self-gain, not only for himself but also for his friend. He tries to pick up women and is actually pretty successful. I know what you are thinking, "Who would have sex with Seth Rogen?" Well, apparently these women who must have pretty low self-esteem. Kyle isn't really a bad person however. He cares about Adam and he has unconventional ways to deal with his best friend dying. Adam also meets two other cancer patients during chemotherapy. They indulge in pot-laced cookies while speaking about life, death, and love among other subjects. They serve as sages to Adam and help him realize the brighter sides of being sick.
This movie really makes you think about how you would deal with cancer. Would you have an optimistic point of view? Would you contain your true feelings and keep away from the ones you love? Or would you just try to live while you can, not regretting your decisions and just making things up as you go?
All in all, this is a film that I would recommend to absolutely anyone. The cast is excellent, the story and dialogue flow like a river, and it contains lessons that anyone can take from it. This is a huge improvement for Seth Rogen as well who actually has character development, unlike his other roles which mainly involve him being a foul-mouthed stoner with no ambition or motivation. I do say it is a better film than "Funny People", which got a bad rap in my opinion, and was in the same genre of comedy/drama cancer flick. Anyways, check it out. You have a better chance than 50/50 of liking it.
Cpt. Crunchy's rating: 4.5/5 stars
Please feel free to post your comments below. All opinions and thoughts to my work is appreciated!
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam Lerner, a young man with a successful journalist job at a local radio station and a beautiful girlfriend. Things couldn't be going any better for the guy, except his best friend is Seth Rogen, who plays Kyle. Kyle is a selfish, womanizing prick on the outside but a caring, warmhearted prick on the inside. Adam has been experiencing back pains for a while and decides to go get it checked out. What the doctor comes back with is the troublesome news of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (thank you Wikipedia) on his spine. This prompts Adam to undergo chemotherapy and eventual surgery to remove the tumor and save his life. He breaks the news to his Kyle, who takes it hard (though it may not seem like it at first), his girlfriend, who takes it worse, and then his mother and Alzheimer's-afflicted father, who take it the hardest.
Adam seems to deal with it quite easily with his accepting sensibilities, even practically calling his inexperienced therapist unhelpful, hurting her in the process. The characterization of Adam is a man who had everything, then the world came crashing down on his shoulders suddenly, causing his emotions to be sort of sheltered in the dark regions of his mind. Gordon-Levitt captures this character flawlessly, and really draws you in with his performance.
Kyle uses Adam's dilemma as a chance for self-gain, not only for himself but also for his friend. He tries to pick up women and is actually pretty successful. I know what you are thinking, "Who would have sex with Seth Rogen?" Well, apparently these women who must have pretty low self-esteem. Kyle isn't really a bad person however. He cares about Adam and he has unconventional ways to deal with his best friend dying. Adam also meets two other cancer patients during chemotherapy. They indulge in pot-laced cookies while speaking about life, death, and love among other subjects. They serve as sages to Adam and help him realize the brighter sides of being sick.
This movie really makes you think about how you would deal with cancer. Would you have an optimistic point of view? Would you contain your true feelings and keep away from the ones you love? Or would you just try to live while you can, not regretting your decisions and just making things up as you go?
All in all, this is a film that I would recommend to absolutely anyone. The cast is excellent, the story and dialogue flow like a river, and it contains lessons that anyone can take from it. This is a huge improvement for Seth Rogen as well who actually has character development, unlike his other roles which mainly involve him being a foul-mouthed stoner with no ambition or motivation. I do say it is a better film than "Funny People", which got a bad rap in my opinion, and was in the same genre of comedy/drama cancer flick. Anyways, check it out. You have a better chance than 50/50 of liking it.
Cpt. Crunchy's rating: 4.5/5 stars
Please feel free to post your comments below. All opinions and thoughts to my work is appreciated!
