"50/50" adds up to a winning formula
(CBS) Will Reiser's thoughtfully crafted original screenplay "50/50," as the name implies, walks a fine line. It tries for a delicate balance between emotionally charged film and light comedy, and it succeeds on all levels.
The result is a triumphant and unique cinematic experience that will leave you feeling inspired.
Based on Reiser's own personal battle with cancer, "50/50" is the story of Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) a 27-year old, who after suffering from chronic back pain, learns from his doctor that he has a rare form of spinal cancer with only a 50 percent chance of survival.
Kyle (Seth Rogen) is his crude best friend, who tries to step up to the plate, but can't help slipping every now and again into his boyish shenanigans, using Adam's potentially fatal illness to draw girls into having sympathy sex.
Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) is his self absorbed girlfriend, who distances herself from him when he needs her the most. Anjelica Houston is the overbearing, over-protective mother he wants to stay as far away from as he can. And Katherine (Anna Kendrick) is his newbie therapist, working on only her third case ever.
Seemingly to have drawn the short straw in every area of his life, the young, affable Adam still manages to find elements of humor, even while battling a potentially life-ending disease and dealing with the people around him. He brings new truth to the old adage that sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.
Gordon-Levitt took a huge risk in taking on a character that had the potential of turning into a melodramatic caricature in a film that is a tough sell to begin with. How many of us really want to spend our Saturday nights watching a film about someone trying to beat cancer?
Yet, thanks to the poignancy of Reiser's script, brought to life by director Jonathan Levine, "50/50" hits all the right notes. As a result, Gordon-Levitt shines.
His self deprecating portrait of a young man, thrown into a conundrum of events about which he has no clue, is a breath of fresh air. Instead of charging forward on an emotional roller coaster, he steps back, underplaying his Adam, while at the same time, managing to interject pitch-perfect comedic timing into the young man he portrays.
The result is a character the audiences rarely feel sorry for or uneasy about. Instead, they can imagine this guy being someone they know, someone they want to get well so they can continue to hang out with him. Lending to the authenticity is the fact that Rogen is Reiser's real-life best buddy and is the one who generated the idea of moving forward with the film.
The chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and a markedly slimmed-down Rogen is unmistakable. The dynamics they bring to bear creates a truly believable camaraderie between their characters that is nothing short of a joy to watch. Their friendship is heartfelt and forms the cornerstone of the film.
Kendrick's character creates the perfect balance to Rogen's sophomoric tendencies, adding a layer of sweetness and warmth to the stabilizing influence she becomes in Adam's life. She is as natural as they come. With the versatility she has already displayed in her other works, "50/50" will help cement her reputation as one of Hollywood's new crop of rising stars.
Huston is immaculate as the stoic mother and the only criticism is that Levine did not flush out her character's frustrations in dealing with a husband overcome by Alzheimer's and an only child battling cancer. Howard also does a fine job in an ensemble cast that managed to avoid creating a film mired in self pity.
Instead, thanks to Reiser and Levine, there emerges a film that is both moving and humorous, calling attention to the fact that laughs are just as important as tears when you're holding on, even as the odds are stacked against you