50/50 Review

50/50 is an uplifting, feel good comedy that has it's down points but usually leaves you with the warm fuzzies. It's funny when it needs to be, sad when it should be, touching, smart, and well produced (i.e. written, acted, and directed). It's a solid movie.

The film tells the story of a young man who has been diagnosed with a rare cancer that has a very scary mortality rate of 50/50...hence the title. It's sort of like this generation's Dying Young except without the Wicked Witch of the West (AKA Julia Roberts). Plus it has the always interesting and beautiful Anna Kendrick as the love interest who keeps proving to us that she's the best thing to come out of the Twilight phenomenon. Methinks Kristen Stewart must hate her guts what with all the talent she oozes and the Oscar nod she received for Up in the Air.

Anyhoo, the movie is good but it has it's problems. I don't hate Seth Rogen. I actually really like the guy, my problem with him is quickly becoming that he takes no risks. He does the same thing time and time again. And it's getting old. I expected more from him when he made the Green Hornet...mostly because he said he was going to try and do more. But he didn't and that movie fails on every level BECAUSE of Seth Rogen. And for a film that mostly deals with the idea of dying young seriously, you'd think he'd up his game and try something new...NOPE! The film doesn't suffer too much from Rogen's acting insecurities because to be honest he's barely in the movie, so I guess it's practically a moot point. It's still aggravating nonetheless to watch someone you know is capable of more continue to under perform. This could almost also be said for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Sure, he's great in this and he's a very raw, talented actor...yet I couldn't help but feel that at times he was just coasting. This is probably mostly the script's fault because when he does get going it's good stuff, it just feels like it's few and far between. Maybe that's just because he didn't have a lot to work with.

Either way, these are nitpicks, admittedly. It's a good flick, I really enjoyed the scenes with the cancer buddies that Levitt's character meets while in the hospital. But I'm not going to give away anything...especially whether he lives or dies. Haha.


8 / 10