Worth Your Time. Worth Your Money. A Surprisingly Good Film.

Rating: Null/10 (24 December 2011)

Nicely scripted, hugely improvised & emotionally investing, the story of 50/50 is actually based on this film's writer, Will Reiser, who penned down the screenplay covering his own struggle with cancer & ends up making a satire out of it without really hurting the sentiments of anyone undergoing through the same diagnosis in their lives.
50/50 concerns Adam; a 27-year old guy who learns that he's diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer & that his chances of survival is 50%. The plot covers his subsequent struggle to beat the disease but in the process, he is finally able to see who & what are the most important things in his life.
Wonderfully directed by Jonathan Levine, the film deals with its sensitive subject in a real mature manner without hiding the pitiful sympathies these diagnosed patients receive from everyone at home or work, most of whom don't even really give a shite about what happens to you & simply pretend to care.
Adam is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt & his performance is really good. He carries off his character pretty well & nicely captures the experience of unexpected shock after finding out about the disease, the nervousness & fear of living with it, the change an event like this brings in life and the everyday struggle & frustration that comes along when you know that your days are numbered.
Yet, the biggest contribution comes from Seth Rogen in the role of Kyle; Adam's best friend who tries everything to prevent Adam from breaking down, is always there to cheer him up & treats him as if nothing major has happened. The rest of the supporting cast also chip in with fine performances & leaves nothing major to complain.
On an overall scale, 50/50 isn't a depressing cinematic experience but an enjoyable one which makes excellent use of humour from start to finish to keep the whole drama a lighthearted affair despite dealing with a serious illness & truly succeeds in accomplishing what it set out to do. Worth your time. Worth your money. Don't miss it.