50/50 - (September 30th, 2011): R
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #5 with $8,644,095
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $11,830,372
Gross Revenue: $11,830,372
Production Budget: $8 million
Director: Jonathan Levine
It may surprise you to discover that 50/50 is actually loosely based on true events, as the plot mirrors the life of screenwriter Will Reiser, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and sought solace with his longtime friend, Seth Rogen. Now, art would imitate life, as Rogen would recreate his supportive role alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt, hoping to effectively tackle a serious disease like cancer, but also bring in some levity complemented with tact. In terms of selling 50/50 to audiences, promotions certainly echoed the type of buddy comedy that moviegoers have come to expect from someone like Judd Apatow, but casting choices made it clear that genuine acting talent would bring sincere depth to the film. With rising stars like Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help) and Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), and a Hollywood legend of Anjelica Huston’s (The Royal Tenenbaums) caliber, 50/50 certainly had more than enough draw to bring in older audiences, many of whom were virtually guaranteed to have had their lives touched by cancer at some point. Needless to say, as a fan of the cast and someone curious to see if the blend of drama and comedy could be executed effectively, I couldn’t wait to see 50/50.
Telling a tale of the struggle to survive against cancer, 50/50 introduces audiences to Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a young researcher at a local radio station who visits his doctor seeking a remedy to his consistent back pain. Adam’s life is turned upside down when he is diagnosed with a rare type of cancer located in his spine, which traditionally only has a 50% chance of survival. After breaking the news to his crude best friend and co-worker, Kyle (Seth Rogen), his fair-weather girlfriend, Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard), and his overprotective mother, Diane (Anjelica Huston), Adam prepares to undergo treatment. Alongside chemo-therapy, Adam starts seeing a grief counselor, Katie (Anna Kendrick), who is just starting her career and is soon revealed to be very inexperienced, a fact that only adds to his confusion and cynicism. Suddenly faced with his immediate mortality and seemingly insurmountable odds, Adam fights for his life and earnestly tries to maintain some semblance of hope alongside those close to him.
Tackling such an emotionally-charged subject like terminal disease, many could be understandably skeptical at any attempts at humor, but 50/50 achieves the necessary balance flawlessly, with help from clever narrative elements and the sense of friendship that exists between Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen. The two young actors are very believable best friends, and Seth Rogen shines as the crude companion doing everything he can to take his best friend’s mind off of the precarious situation, the most popular tactic involving using sympathy to pick up women in bars. Prior to 50/50, I had feared that Seth Rogen’s man-child personality had run its course, but this type of humor fits perfectly into the film, in essence creating the perfect type of character for Rogen to portray. Other strong sources of humor include poking fun at some traditional cancer treatments, whether that involves Adam’s reaction to the marijuana-laced cookies presented to him by elderly chemo patients, his noted resemblance to Voldemort after he shaves his head, or the bond he forms with the rescue dog designed to therapeutically aid his recovery (an old, emaciated Greyhound aptly named “Skeletor”). All humor and joking aside though, 50/50 maintains a genuine gravity and sense of emotion, two strong elements anchored by real characters and powerhouse performances.
I have always been a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but in 50/50, he demonstrates near-savant levels of acting ability, demanding audience attention and recognition in a way that will not be easily forgotten. The numbness after his diagnosis, the frustration surfacing after ineffective treatment, and the genuine fear before surgery…Gordon-Levitt imbues Adam with so much depth that it is mesmerizing. In one particular instance, Adam has a brief mental breakdown and vents his anger, screaming at the top of his lungs, and the scene was so powerful that an astonished hush fell over the audience. The stark reality of the film is only enhanced by the realistic and engaging personalities that surround Adam, including Bryce Dallas Howard as Adam’s toxic and selfish girlfriend, Anjelica Huston as Adam’s overprotective and emotional train-wreck of a mother, and Anna Kendrick as Adam’s naïve therapist struggling to comfort her patient. Each of these characters add a realism to 50/50 that is sure to have you question your own reaction, should your doctor deliver the worst kind of news at your next check-up.
With such high overall quality, key selling points, and no overt justification for criticism, 50/50 should have been a box office juggernaut, but an R-rated comedy set against undeniably depressing subject matter couldn’t hope to outmatch family films. Opening in fifth place after its first weekend, 50/50 may seem like something of a failure, but consider this, against an $8 million budget, this newest dramedy has already turned a profit, so no one at Summit Entertainment has any cause to worry. I can only hope that word of mouth does its job and more moviegoers realize just how enjoyable and rewarding 50/50 is as a film, subsequently boosting numbers or at the very least shielding against dramatic week-to-week drop-off. Needless to say, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has more than proven his talent as an actor, and my faith in Seth Rogen’s comedic appeal has rightfully been restored. I simply cannot emphasize it enough, 50/50 is fantastic and should not be missed by anyone…trust me.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
