When I went to see
50/50 a few nights ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew the critics weren't lying - the film had all the elements for an indie to mainstream success story and it had a talented group of actors that were perfectly cast. But in my personal experience, cancer is only funny to a point; sooner or later the laughter stops and you're faced with a reality that's hard to swallow.
But the film expertly toes the line between heartfelt comedy and heart wrenching reality. What impressed me most was the fact that this movie, built around the Big C, was able to convey more than just the typical, "Character finds out he may die and spends what could be his last weeks on Earth crossing things of a to-do-list." The film was really about the raw emotions that come with human relationships. And because of that, there was no immediacy to the story - I wasn't watching characters try and cheat death. I was witnessing people dealing with a shitty situation, in a chillingly real way.
The film allows Joseph Gordon Levitt (who I think we've all been a fan of since
10 Things I Hate About You, Third Rock from the Sun, a guest appearance on
That 70's Show, Brick...okay, I could keep going) to be completely and utterly human and he nails it. His vulnerability is almost too much to take and when he rasps out, "...I've never been to Canada...I've never told a girl I loved her..." I almost lost it. The film is sad, yet not depressing and I left the theater quiet and introspective. Maybe not the best movie to see on a Friday night or "date night" but I definitely recommend it - if for nothing else, to give you something real to think about on your drive home.
Also, the film stars an all around fantastic cast: Seth Rogen, (at times a bit too robust, but it's what he does best) Anna Kendrick, (her typical fast-talking style but she embraces the fragile-ness of her character) Bryce Dallas Howard, (I don't think I ever realized how gorgeous she is) Anjelica Huston (a bit underused I think - she's AnjelicafreakingHuston! playing an overbearing mother! Perfection) and Philip Baker Hall (what can I say, other than: love him).