'We all have to die at one point. It is part of life.'

Rating: 10/10 (29 January 2012)

It is unclear why this film - 50/50 - isn't in the lists for Academy Awards nominations. Perhaps it is because the subject matter (cancer) is tough or because the PR for the film wasn't broad enough. But watch it for yourself and marvel at the script (written by Will Reiser based on his own story of having cancer), the direction by Jonathan Levine who understands how to balance the two faces of life - comedy and tragedy - as well as anyone, and the astonishing sensitive acting of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and one of the finest ensemble casts assembled. This is a film that examines the effect of a cancer diagnosis on a young man, his friends, his love life, and the people with whom he comes into contact because of his disease. And those people include us, the audience.
Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27 year old writer of radio programs, happy with living with his artist girlfriend Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard) and spending his idle hours with his wisecracking goofy friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), has some back pain while jogging, visits a cold impersonal doctor (Andrew Airlie) who flatly diagnoses Schwannoma/Neurofibrosarcoma and informs Adam he must undergo chemotherapy to shrink the tumor of his spine before he can undergo surgery - the combined treatments offer a 50/50 chance of survival. Adam blindly accepts the information, shares it with Kyle, Rachel, and ultimately his mother (Anjelica Huston) and Alzheimer father (Serge Houde) - each of whom has a different reaction to the news: Kyle worries the Adam's relationship with Rachel is bogus (Rachel is having an affair despite the fact that she claims she will 'be there' for Adam), his mother overreacts a bit and joins a support group for families with cancer diagnosed, Rachel leaves, and Adam begins chemotherapy.
At the hospital Adam joins two cancer victim men undergoing chemotherapy (Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer) and the three become close, sharing marijuana macaroons and keeping things light. Adam is assigned to a psychotherapy doctoral student Katherine (Anna Kendrick) who is younger than Adam and the two begin a series of sessions that, though awkward, open windows onto reality and to their individual and shared emotional backgrounds. Adam's chemotherapy succeeds in causing hair loss, headaches and vomiting but doesn't shrink the tumor. Adam is lined up for surgery and each person in Adam's life shows Adam their true colors.
Author Will Reiser has said 'Adam is very much an extension of me. But I didn't intend for that, it just happened. I just had so much I wanted to say. There's a real limitation on what you can and can't say - like you can't make fun of this, because it's taboo.' The result of his sharing his own experience is deftly portrayed in this rare comedy drama, allowing the viewer to see all sides of Cancer and how that diagnosis alters the life view of the victim and their support group. Seth Rogen has slimmed down and proves in this portrayal that he is capable of superb acting and character creation. Anna Kendrick, Anjelica Huston, Serge Houde, Philip Baker Hall, Matt Frewer and Bryce Dallas Howard render exceptional supporting roles. But the extraordinarily subtle and sensitive acting on the part of Joseph Gordon-Levitt is brilliant: this is an actor who proves his chops in this career making role. His balance between pathos and the lightness of his comedic touch is simply worthy of an Oscar - or more. This is a surprising excellent film. Highly Recommended for all audiences.
Grady Harp