50/50

The chemistry between Anna Kendrick and J.G. Levitt works great. Seth Rogen is appropriately awkwardly funny (more comic this time around), but his role is extremely rewarding to watch and perfectly demonstrates one of the possible ways Adam deals with everything (or, also, how Kyle (ab)uses it). It was nice, even endearing, how Katherine tried to apply her studied and textbook methods to every possible situation, because she was really incredibly cute when she was embarrassed (you almost felt more sympathy for her than for Adam). In short, I've listed probably the highlights that came out of the production of this film. Three hugely interesting characters, and in all cases superbly acted. And the trio of fantastic performances, topped off with some very darkly funny dialogue (the Patrick Swayze bit nearly killed me), a nice minimalist score, and some nice (perhaps naive to some) emotional moments, deserve some of the more distinguished ratings. (01/08/2012)

When life writes powerful stories, it looks at them itself. Seth Rogen did very well persuading his friend to write the screenplay and just as well when he took on his best role yet. Although we had seen him as a goofball before and after, he found his ideal fit in the melancholic comedy where humanity shines alongside uncompromising lines. And because few people are better guides to real-life comedies than Joseph Gordon-Levitt, there is nothing left but to smile contentedly, wipe away a hidden tear, and say one thing. Life. Is. Good. (01/31/2012)

Cliched, civil comedy/drama at it's purest. Functional on both counts, though I'd be happy to welcome Gordon-Levitt back as the kind of emotionless weirdo who I wouldn't even lend a ruler to that he played so well in Brick or Inception, and Seth Rogen's humanoid portrayal of everything that would make emancipated women burn from the inside isn't exactly capable of inspiring confidence that he'd ever have sex. *SPOILER ALERT* However, I do welcome the ending, which could have been resolved (and I expected it to be) in a fashionably shitty way given the nature of the film (Adam is taken to the operating room – cut and end; the lady surgeon comes up to the parents – cut and end; alternatively, Adam dies – cut and end), but the happy ending won out. And why not, if the film wants us to relate to the main character in some way, then if we were to die in the operation, we'd have a whole different set of problems, whereas by surviving it, our lives begin anew. I'll change my rating when they diagnose me with cancer. After all, my melanomas do move a little strangely at times. Keep in touch. (05/27/2012)

“I’m Adam Lerner, schwannoma neurofibrosarcoma.“ Another developmental stage of the bromance genre. Apatow’s comedy is intertwined with a “dying” melodrama. The boy-girl romantic storyline serves mainly as means of presenting the protagonist in greater detail, but it doesn’t answer the question of whether Adam’s girlfriends leave him melodrama because they’re bitches (as Kyle clearly believes) or because of his bland character and lack of will to change anything. Conversely, most of the truly touching moments are provided by the bromance storyline that sensibly uses Rogen’s committed (only?) position that he is a horny idiot and doesn’t care. He credibly complements Gordon-Levitt’s decent “I don't drink, I don’t smoke, I don't have a driver’s license” character (whose only bad habit is apparently biting his fingernails). The striking contrast between the two central characters is entertaining and their friendship is believable, while also offering two possible concepts of the human body – for survival/for satisfaction through pleasure. The laid-back pace of the narrative, sensitive incorporation of a serious subject into a comedy and the reduction of sentiment are definitely not qualities seen in every cinematic enrichment of oncological discourse. 50/50 not only enriches that, but also expands on it by putting a spotlight on false compassion and selfish unwillingness to take the negative with the positive, which is achieved through an initially likable girlfriend. Adam’s subsequent depressing loneliness casts doubt on the validity of the saying “live with people, die alone”. Some people are assholes, dying alone is a drag and living with a tumour involves pain, fatigue and vomiting. Banal, but true. The conveying of the knowledge that there may be no "after" was among the most powerful instance of such a message that I have ever experienced thanks to a film. Vastly superior to carcinogenic dramas. 85% (11/20/2012)

Finally, a film about very serious matters, presented in an accurate, balanced optic oscillating exactly between serious drama and black-humored dirty comedy, beautifully showing that even a serious illness can be treated in a different way than with tears and a feeling of helplessness. There are no clichéd platitudes or pathetic emotions, this film is dominated by common sense and a lot of brilliantly staged passages of everyday life. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has great talent and a knack for choosing roles, and Seth Rogen does what he knows best, portraying a clumsy, good-hearted, vulgar schmuck. (08/31/2016)