Arts & Entertainment
Movie Review: '50/50' is a Good Bet
Let's face it, having cancer is no fun. Now there is a movie that offers up a cure, of sorts -- one that many say is the best medicine.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, a 27-year-old man who has his whole life ahead of him until he discovers he has a rare form of cancer and only a 50/50 chance of survival.
The people in Adam's life react differently to the news. His girlfriend, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, pledges to stand by him, then dumps him. His mother, Anjelica Huston, goes into smothering mode and his best friend, Kyle, played by Seth Rogen, tries to keep his spirits up by turning his life into a non-stop party.
Rogen co-produces "50/50," a based loosely in part on the life of Rogen's good friend Will Reiser. Reiser, a screenwriter, beat cancer a few years back.
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"50/50" is a comedy, but it is never disrespectful. The fact of the matter is we are all dying. Cancer, ailment, accident, old age, whatever -- the end result will be death. "50/50" helps us face our mortality with reality. Will you live the rest of your life in tears or in laughter?
The flick-o-meter gives "50/50" a good four out of five. I liked the film. The director, Jonathan Levine, did a fine job and the acting ensemble was great. The only weakness was, well, Seth Rogen. He does show some depth but his predictably loud, hard-partying buddy persona takes the edge off a film that would otherwise be the best medicine.
