By: Martin Tucker
Staff Writer
“50/50,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, is a “dramedy,” which is a comedy and a drama mixed together, about a man who has just discovered that he has cancer. This movie is based off of the life of Will Reiser, the screenwriter of “50/50,” and his life battle with cancer. Seth Rogen is Reiser’s friend off the screen, so the character he plays is based off of himself. Directed by Jonathan Levine of “The Wackness,” this beautifully made film does the impossible, juggling cancer and comedy on a thin tightrope of the bond between two best friends.
Gordon-Levitt’s character, Adam Lerner, is a late 20 year old with a steady job that he doesn’t hate, an imposing girlfriend, a mother who wants a bigger part in his life, and a best friend who is obsessed with sexual gratification for himself and Adam. Adam is the type of character that lets others walk over him not because he’s a pushover, but because he genuinely cares for others. Gordon-Levitt gives a very nuanced performance as Levine does an amazing job of letting us see the world through his eyes without using too many point of views.
Rogen’s character, Kyle, is the vulgar best friend and source of comedy in the film, but he’s not quite the comic relief because his antics make up too much of the film. Rogen, while playing his usual slacker “potty-mouth” self, does tone it down to just the right degree so that it’s not an over the top “Superbad” or “Pineapple Express” performance. It’s almost like he’s self-conscious that he’s acting as himself and needs true remorse for Reiser under his comedy as an apology for how he acted in the events that played out in real life.
Bryce Dallas Howard plays Rachael, a gorgeous but almost unbearable girlfriend to Adam. Many say she’s a flat character and borderline misogynistic. This is the second movie this year that she’s played a less than likable character, the other being Hilly Holbrook in “The Help.”
The female lead is none other than Anna Kendrick, who is famous for the “Twilight Saga.” She plays Adam’s young psychiatrist working on her doctorate. Anjelica Huston, who’s been acting since the original “Casino Royale,” makes a memorable appearance as Adam’s overprotective but sincere mother who struggles to deal with two tragedies simultaneously.
The comedy in this movie works not just because Seth tones down the depressing mood enough for us to laugh without hating ourselves afterwards, but because Levine has great ability in keeping cancer like a black cloud over the entire plot’s head. While we may choke on popcorn during the funny parts, Levine quickly reminds us that black cloud is always just a headache, vomit, or needle away from bringing us back to reality.
There is a significant romantic comedy plot to offset Rogen’s humor, but what is most moving is the drama and realization that cancer and chemotherapy completely drain the person you once were and leaves your last seconds to chance. I’m not ashamed to say in a scene between Huston and Gordon-Levitt, I cried, and if you see it with a loved one, you probably will too. This has the highest recommendation from me as far as movies that are currently playing in theaters.
Photo from: standford.edu
