The film tells the story of Adam, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a typical young adult with a comfortable life — a steady job, a fun-loving best friend, played by Seth Rogen, and long-term girlfriend. During a routine checkup, he learns from his doctor that the back pains he has been experiencing are actually the result of a tumor. The movie chronicles both Adam’s personal journey as he undergoes the difficult medical procedures dealing with his disease, such as chemotherapy and dialysis, as well as the ways his loved ones react to the news and their methods of supporting him.
Although a serious subject, Gordon-Levitt and Rogen effectively interject humor into the material. Directed by Jonathan Levine, “50/50” is based on a true story, as Will Reiser, the real-life best friend of Seth Rogen, was also diagnosed with cancer in his twenties and wrote the script based on his experiences. Based on this source material, the interactions in the film feel genuine and the funny situations that arise, such as when Rogen’s character persuades Adam to use his condition as a way to pick up girls, serve as believable interactions between good friends.
Gordon-Levitt carries the entire film, providing an empathetic protagonist who, as the movie progresses, has to face the harsh reality of his own mortality — the movie title refers to the chances Adam’s doctor gives him for a life-threatening operation. As a reviewer with a family experience with cancer, I can say he perfectly captures the emotional turmoil of dealing with the disease, as his reactions range from acceptance, to denial, to anger. Some of the best dialogue from the movie comes from the exchanges between Adam and Katherine, an inexperienced psychologist who helps Adam as he progresses through the stages of coping as he reflects on the unfairness of his situation.
“[E]veryone has been telling me since the beginning, ‘Oh, you're gonna be okay,’ and ‘Oh, everything's fine,’ and like, it's not... It makes it worse... that no one will just come out and say it. Like, ‘Hey man, you're gonna die,” Adam says to Katherine in one of their sessions.
Cancer is a serious subject, affecting many lives. With its down-to-earth characters and realistic situations, “50/50” provides both a heartfelt and heartbreaking look at the disease and serves as the perfect marriage between emotion and humor. In the words of the famous phrase, “Laughter truly is the best medicine.”
