Movie Review: 50/50

Every since I have started watching movies, I have noticed that every year has had at least one film that sticks with you. That you want to watch over and over again and makes a lasting impression on you. Up to this point, 2011 has been lacking that. Don't get we wrong, there has some excellent films released this year (Fast Five, Super 8, Source Code, Moneyball, some others), but none that made a vast impact on me. That all changed, when I saw 50/50. 50/50 is a film that I already want to revisit and plan on revisting many times in the future.

50/50 tells the story of Adam Lerner (Joesph Gordon-Levitt), a young man who is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer. Adam as well as the people in his life react to the news in various ways. Adam's best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen) puts a positive spin on it and reassures him he is going to be ok. His girlfriend, Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard) doesn't really know how to react and ends up distancing herself from Adam. Adam's mother (Angelica Houston) becomes hysterical and worries Adam is going to die. With all the stress surrounding him, Adam begins to see a therapist (Anna Kendrick). With the therapy sessions and every thing else going on around him, Adam goes through a roller-coaster ride of emotions as he tries to beat cancer.

50/50 is the best film I have the had pleasure of seeing in 2011 so far. It covers the entire spectrum of film flawlessly. The shifts in tone are very impressive. It goes from emotional to hilarious to heartfelt on a whim. I commend Will Reiser's script for being able to pull off this incredibly hard task. This approach was innovative to say the least. No film about cancer has ever been done like this before. I really identified with all of the characters and the level of realism achieved. You can tell that Reiser's first-hand experience with having cancer gave him an insight that most people don't have. He knows what the heartbreak and trauma of cancer feels like. Even with that awful experience, he is able to find humor in it. That is completely remarkable to me.

On top of the excellent script, the cast is fantastic. Joesph-Gordon Levitt nails the role of Adam. He is such an amazing actor and it was great to see him in a film like this. He gives Adam this incredible depth. His character goes through every emotion and he gives it his all with his emotionally-invested performance. Seth Rogen does just as good or better than Joesph Gordon-Levitt. You can tell his experience has Will Reiser's real-life best friend make a big impact on the film. He lived this and that's evident in his performance. Rogen is his typical, hilarious self, but with more of emotional side at times. Angelica Houston and Anna Kendrick also shine in supporting roles. Their characters help Adam along in his recovery process and are a vital part of the film.

50/50 is a must-see. This film has a big heart, big laughs, spectacular acting, and real emotion. This film stuck with me instantly and made a gigantic impact on me. I already want to see it again and I just saw it yesterday. I really can't say enough good things about this film. I really hope it can get some Oscar nominations this year (If it only gets one, please let it be for Will Reiser's screenplay). This is the best film of 2011 so far and I really don't see anything topping it.

4.5/5 Stars