Poignant, magnificent, and simply unmissable

Rating: 9/10 (3 October 2011)

Based on the personal experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, "50/50" is an honest blend of intense, heartfelt emotion and dark, irreverent humor. It's a rare and mesmerizing film that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. Viewers will be profoundly moved by this inspirational tale of a man coming to the grips with his morality but chooses to embrace life instead and discovers passion, friendship, love and humanity during the process.
I've always admired Joseph Gordon Levitt (Third Rock from the Sun, Inception) as an actor, and he deserves an Oscar for his performance as Adam: a man who suddenly discovers that he's diagnosed with a spinal tumor. The film benefits from Levitt's lukewarm tenderness, appealing charisma, and unmatched vulnerability in order for the storyline to be credible.
Teen sensation Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Pineapple Express) on the other hand is crude and vulgar as usual playing Adam's best friend. But he displays a sense of sympathy, affection and earnestness while playing the average-everyday slacker character for a change and manages to deliver a sensational and fulfilling performance. The meat and potatoes of this precious gem lies beneath Levitt and Rogen's irresistible and undeniable chemistry and their ability to establish a kinetic on-screen bromance. Being able to accomplish that shows how much potential these talented individuals have.
The sharp and brainy script will have you bursting out with laughter and tears, and the influential messages about finding humor beneath pain, valuing the purposes of life and living everyday like it's your last will bring out joy to even the most careless people alive. The important life-lessons will challenge audiences-alike to go back and rethink their lives.
A few scenes should have been left in the editing room, but it's still a genuine work of art and extreme geniusness that stands out as one of the more thoughtful films in recent years. Even though I'm yet to be diagnosed with cancer, "50/50" has come to mean a great deal to me and I urge anyone who isn't moved by the time the closing credits roll to check their pulse immediately.