50/50 is a ‘dramedy’, along the lines of recent awkward, character focused comedies from the likes of Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow, etc. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam a man who at 27 years old is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, the reaction of his family and friends along with the bizarrely naive musings of his assigned councillor provide a black comedic tone. This is a movie where the laughs largely come from an appreciation of the irony, or the laughable tragedy, of life. If it sounds like this is less obviously funny than say Superbad or Knocked Up that’s because it is, but it’s a more rewarding comedy for it.
Gordon-Levitt continues his stellar rise, one that started long ago on Third Rock from the Sun and most recently saw him appearing in the brilliant Inception and (500) Days of Summer, to provide a really genuine performance of someone having to deal with a mountain of shit. Seth Rogen as Adam’s horny, crass, best friend Kyle provides his typical, and at this point expected, performance as the same character he is in everything (i.e. himself). Adam’s girlfriend Rachel, played Bryce Dallas Howard, is an instantly hate-able, selfish and constantly grating character somewhat similar to her turn as pure evil in The Help. Whilst Seth Rogan’s character is somewhat funny the real laughs are generated by Anjelica Houston as Adam’s needy mum Diane, and Anna Kendrick as Katherine the councillor who is still working on her Doctorate. Katherine is hilariously underprepared to be able to provide a stable system of support and there are some wonderfully awkward attempts at empathy, and Kendrick really nails it in a performance that is funny and sweet with some truly cringe-worthy moments.
Given the gravity of potentially life threatening illness the movie plays it fast and loose with the idea of comedy, it doesn’t shy away from the pure unrelenting reality of the situation – in fact it does just the opposite and focus’s on how awful it is to deal with this type of situation. What is funny is how people simply don’t know how to act around Adam when they find out, some of the things people say to him are so ridiculous that he often ends up comforting them; it’s almost always about how other people react to his cancer and how it effects them rather than Adam, again highlighting a dramatic irony. There are moments that you have to laugh at them or you’ll cry from their shear awfulness. It’s honest, and in that it is hilarious.
Will Reiser’s script is sharp and witty, and given that it’s based on the true story of him dealing with cancer (apparently with Seth Rogan fulfilling the same role he did in real life) he really knows how to astutely write for this situation to highlight the myriad of emotions and tensions, trying to pick out the ludicrous black comedy that life can sometimes be. Gordon-Levitt steals the show, he embodies the character so well that we laugh with him and feel for him at the same time. Graceful and heartfelt, this is definitely one to watch if you get the chance.
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