Relatable characters lead to heartfelt drama

Rating: 8/10 (18 October 2011)

One might think that the cancer drama is about worn out by now. I went in expecting a comedy with some soulless drama about cancer on top of it that no one would really care about. Boy was I surprised.
What separates 50/50 from the sea of cancer dramas is the characters and their depth. These aren't fake feeling people caught in the prime of their life with something as awful as cancer, nor are they miserable people caught with another misery. The main character is just your everyday guy, average in just about every regard (but not to a boring extent), which is what makes the film so effective. I felt, and believe that others may feel, that his experience is similar to what would happen to me if I had cancer. I've never cried because of a movie, but this one certainly got me close.
Beyond the main character, the supporting cast is excellent. The love interests are very different, the parents are definite characters, and the stoned old folks are great fun. Seth Rogen is his usual self, but he isn't too invasive or unrealistic most of the time. All of the acting was stellar across the board, and very diverse. Joseph Gordon-Levitt won at least one fan with this movie, from his introspective stare and subtle worry to his final outburst the night before his surgery. We all saw it coming, but never with such passion or raw emotion.
The comedy elements bring the characters to life, and along with these the soundtrack provides the mood of the film as a whole. Some fantastic visuals where necessary (upon first hearing the word cancer stuck out to me, in particular) and perfectly restrained where it should be.
I highly recommend this to anyone who has a soul and can take a raunchy joke every once and a while. It's not life changing, but it is the most effective drama I've seen in a long time.