Simple but effective

Rating: 8/10 (18 June 2020)

There was a time where Joseph Gordon-Levitt had a really promising career. Seeing him in Inception and Don Jon showed me how capable he was. It's sad we don't get to see him nowadays because he had huge potential and 50/50 is a great example of his acting abilities.
50/50 follows Adam, a young man who gets diagnosed with a rare type of cancer and has a 50% chance of living and we see how he struggles to fight against the disease.
This is a film that is the definition of simple but effective. The story is not complicated at all but it's told in a very lighthearted and touching way. Writer Will Reiser found a great balance between comedy and drama as they never clash with one another. There's not a moment where the comedy goes too far or the film gets overdramatic. It's all kept fairly realistic which makes the story all the more believable. It may feel weird having comedy in a film about a dark subject like cancer but it's used in a way to show the positive side of it. It shows us how we should live our life to the fullest and always keep on smiling day in day out no matter what.
The performances by every single actor is spectacular. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is absolutely terrific here and makes us feel really sympathetic towards him due to what he goes. Seth Rogen is perfect for playing Joseph Gordon-Levitt's best friend. He's very funny throughout and there's a great amount of character development to him. Anna Kendrick is also great and the bond she builds with JGL is executed brilliantly. Anjelica Huston and Bryce Dallas Howard also do their roles justice.
The writing in this film is excellent. It's clear how Will Reiser takes his own personal experience and makes something incredibly moving. I love how each character develops and the impact they have on Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character which helps him grow as a result.
50/50 was executed really well surprisingly. It's got a great amount of humour to make you laugh and a great amount of drama that's both emotional and heartwarming.