Review : 50/50

"No one wants to f*@# me. I look like Voldemort."

I would like to let everyone know that I am behind. Usually, I am all up in the theater, but right now I'm a little behind. This weekend I started to play some catch up. The choices for the movies I would be seeing sooner than later were as follows: Moneyball, Drive, and 50/50. My lovely wife and I went to see the latter. I ended up choosing this one because, of the three, I recognized that this film was a safe bet in the "take your wife to a movie she will like" category (she still gives me a hard time about taking her to see Ninja Assassin), and I was not wrong. She enjoyed the movie very much as did I. After seeing the film I realized that what I enjoyed most was the funny, well-intentioned screenplay and some truly honest performances.

The performances in this movie are so right on. Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues on a path of becoming one of my favorite actors. After 500 Days of Summer and Inception, I look forward to seeing almost all of his films, and this one does not disappoint. He plays his character's rollercoaster with such cool subtlety that when the severity of his plight really sets in, the emotional impact is devastating. Seth Rogen, true to form, turns in a fantastic performance. What I really like about his character is that it is obviously tailor made for him. Though we get just what one might expect, his particular and almost always entertaining brand of pothead, gross out humor does not carry the film, it just makes it more awesome by adding some much needed humor to the weighty subject matter. Anna Kendrik also turns in a stellar performance here as well, and the moments of awkward self-awareness she delivers make for some of the film's best moments. Furthermore, the supporting cast, led by Bryce Dallas Howard and the always amazing Angelica Houston, is fantastic as well.

Will Reiser's screenplay and Jonathan Levine's direction deliver a simple story that is concise and heartfelt. The film really succeeds in giving us a look into the life of someone going through something horrible without succumbing to the melodramatic and thank goodness for that. I'm not suggesting that films regarding chronic illnesses shouldn't be dramatic. I'm just saying that this break is well-received. The film keeps reminding us that sometimes we all need a laugh and I like that about it. While some of the humor might be a bit lowbrow for some (the old ladies sitting next to me), for others (me) it is just what the doctor ordered. Seriously, if I get cancer please try to keep me laughing.