50/50 (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Sophie B

  
  A very intense and emotional watch. It's so easy to feel for Adam and it's almost as if you're going through the process with him. You hate the people he does and feel every moment of his pain, but that's down to a great script and a great performance from… More
  A very intense and emotional watch. It's so easy to feel for Adam and it's almost as if you're going through the process with him. You hate the people he does and feel every moment of his pain, but that's down to a great script and a great performance from Gordon-Levitt. Kyle was a well needed fun and interesting character who kept the spirits up and added so much hilarity that without him, I believe I really wouldn't have liked this film so much. It's very raw and honest and something everyone should see.

• Tired of P

  
  Directed by Jonathan Levine, Mandate Pictures, 2011. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Angelica Houston. Genre: Comedy. Drama Question: If you are given the odds of 50% when diagnosed with cancer, what is your first thought: 50%… More
  Directed by Jonathan Levine, Mandate Pictures, 2011. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Angelica Houston. Genre: Comedy. Drama Question: If you are given the odds of 50% when diagnosed with cancer, what is your first thought: 50% chance you'll beat it or do you think 50% chance you are going to die? The movie 50/50 represents one cancer patient's progression with discovering his diagnosis while receiving those odds. I will have to admit the movie showed a rather accurate portrayal, in my opinion. I know I put a lot of my personal life in these reviews but since movies try depicting stories we can relate to, I sometimes feel compelled to share my correlations and why I enjoyed the film or not. Although I did not have cancer, I did have a rather serious illness a few years back. While watching 50/50 I was in awe, but sometimes uncomfortable, at how close it came to reality when you to discover you are really sick. 1. You get the news: you have an outer body experience. 2. In the beginning you are irrationally calm. 3. You worry about others more than yourself. 4. Then fear slowly takes over. 5. You push people away. 6. And finally you accept the possibility that you could die. 7. Well, this last part is up to you and if you see the glass as half full or half empty... Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, the 27 year-old who receives the news that he has a rare form of cancer. For the next 90 minutes you see his life veer off a set path he had for himself. He is a fairly anal fellow who is a stickler about being on time for everything, a clean-freak and he never attempts to go out of his comfort zone. He even doesn't drive, which I never figured out why but I have my theories. It's his reactions and emotions that pulled me into this story. He did a fabulous job at playing sick, vulnerable and courageous. I don't want to share anymore details about the story specifically, but the characters that took part in Adam's illness are worth a discussion or two. Bryce Dallas Howard plays his girlfriend. She really is getting very good at playing characters you really love to hate; however, she might have played one of the most realistic characters in 50/50. Some people fear death and dying or the ill and the reactions that come from that never surprise me...now. Angelica Houston plays Adam's mother. Oh boy! She played it exactly how mothers respond when they hear their own child is ill. All mothers worry - it's a fact. However, they also keep many things to themselves and that discovery may shock some of their children. Angelica Houston did an outstanding job at portraying the worry, the fear and the self-reliance one requires when her world comes crashing down. No Terms of Endearment moments although it got close. Seth Rogen plays Adam's best friend (Kyle) who is slightly obnoxious, always trying to get laid, etc... but he ended up surprising me in this movie. Nope, I am not going to say how - see it for yourself. I am not the biggest Seth Rogen fan but have enjoyed a few of his movies. However, in 50/50 he was able to play the stereotypical best friend but with a twist. There is one scene, which I won't describe, but if you have ever had a friend and know you need proof to show them something to help them see the light - then see this scene. You will thoroughly enjoy it. It states above that this is a comedy and a drama. This is true. There was one fellow in the theatre with me that laughed out loud a lot although it only made me smile. There were a few scenes in where I choked up, but I already said this hit too close to home for me. 50/50 did a fantastic job at portraying a life and death illness with some humor and real emotions. That's sort of rare so I recommend seeing this one. My favorite part: The proof. My least favorite part: That it hit a little too close to home for me. Rating: R Length: 99 minutes Review: 7 out of 10

• Letitia L

  
  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is such a mesmerizing young actor. In this or 500 Days of Summer, sometimes the pain in his face is so tough to watch but he doesn't hold anything back. He and Seth "Knocked Up" Rogen were a great duo, though Rogen is quickly getting typecast and… More
  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is such a mesmerizing young actor. In this or 500 Days of Summer, sometimes the pain in his face is so tough to watch but he doesn't hold anything back. He and Seth "Knocked Up" Rogen were a great duo, though Rogen is quickly getting typecast and his weed / get-laid jokes are getting stale. And you can't NOT love Anna Kendrick.

• Chris W

  
  This is a dramedy inspired by real events about a young man named Adam who, despite living a healthy lifestyle (that includes caring about the environment), is diagnosed with a very serious and rare type of spinal cancer. His chances of survival are 50/50, and the bulk of the film is… More
  This is a dramedy inspired by real events about a young man named Adam who, despite living a healthy lifestyle (that includes caring about the environment), is diagnosed with a very serious and rare type of spinal cancer. His chances of survival are 50/50, and the bulk of the film is basically a fish out of water story that follows him as he tries to deal with his situation with the help (or sometimes lackthereof) of his vulgar but well meaning best friend Kyle, his overbearing mother Diane, his cold, cruel girlfriend Rachael, and his kind, but young and inexperienced therapist Katherine. WHile there are some (much needed) laughs and moments of levity, this is mostly a very well made, emotional and sincere drama. Yes, it's the kind of thing that pulls on your heartstrings, but it's better done and less manipulative than something like Terms of Endearment. It's the kind of story where it doesn't have to have humor, but it makes things a little easier to handle, and also makes the film seem more genuine and down to Earth. This is all tricky territory to get right tonally, but screenwriter Will Reiser (who based the script on his personal experiences) pulls it off almost completely flawlessly. The only real missteps I saw (and these are just gripes) are the way that the scenes with the doctor are handled (especially when Adam receives his diagnosis) and the general arc with Rachael. This film marked the second time in 2011 where Bryce Dallas Howard played an out of touch bitch that you just love to hate. Her scenes aren't terrible, but they felt kinda flat. I used to give her the benefit of the doubt, maybe becaue I was hoping she'd really be more than just an attractive face, but I'm really starting to feel like she doesn't have the talent she seemed to posess. Other than that, this is a great movie. Rogen's portrayal of Kyle is one of his best. Yeah, it seems very simialr to sosme of his pat work, but there's a nuance to it, and you get the feeling that the way his character acts (even if it includes taking advantage of Adam's situation for his personal gain) is on;y becaue that's the only way he knows how to deal with the situation. I also really loved the supporting appearances by Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer as two older cancer patients who show Adam the ropes to a degree, and also how the film doesn't entirely go for a full on romance between Adam and Katherine. This is a good mix of humor, sadness, and every other emotion in between, and the result is a fantastic film. Levine knocked it out of the park with The Wackness (I thought), and he's done it once again with this one. Highly recommended.

• danny d

  
  maybe even better than the rating im giving it. hilarious and touching, the acting was excellent, the script clever and purposeful, and the story focused not only the politics or sentimentalism but rather on the people involved in the details of the circumstances. a phenomenal film.

• Daniel P

  
  Young man gets cancer... and Seth Rogen's in it, too. For all the things that I thought could go wrong with this film and its promise of black humour - see Funny People or Observe and Report for Rogen's last two failures on that front - I was pleasantly surprised. It's… More
  Young man gets cancer... and Seth Rogen's in it, too. For all the things that I thought could go wrong with this film and its promise of black humour - see Funny People or Observe and Report for Rogen's last two failures on that front - I was pleasantly surprised. It's an honest and realistic portrayal of how the rug could be pulled out from under any of our selfish pairs of feet tomorrow. Touching, and tough to watch in places, and yes, funny, too. My only complaint would be the soundtrack: Radiohead and Pearl Jam are just too big-time to drift in and colour the action, I found them distracting. Still, I liked the movie a lot more than I didn't, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt shows that his star continues to rise, taking this ensemble of young actors and more than capably carrying them across the finish line. Definitely watch this.

• Anthony L

  
  A Hollywood movie about Cancer that doesn't intentionally pull at the heartstrings to win awards, a very welcome relief. It actually handles the subject matter very well, even though many of us have been effected by cancer, it's still very much a taboo subject - certainly… More
  A Hollywood movie about Cancer that doesn't intentionally pull at the heartstrings to win awards, a very welcome relief. It actually handles the subject matter very well, even though many of us have been effected by cancer, it's still very much a taboo subject - certainly one that is avoided in conversation. I actually work in a cancer trials centre and I can faithfully say that this is a welcome film. It is an emotional film, very sad at times but the humour is a welcome inclusion that is never in bad taste and is used sparingly. Ok, so it's not sugar-coated but it is slightly sweetened for entertainment purposes but I would argue it is better for it. The actors all do a great job, Rogan being a friend of the guy the story is based on helped in that respect and it shows. Recommended. On another note, Matt Frewer - please bring back Max Headroom!!

• Albert K

  
  "50/50" has almost the perfect blend of comedy and drama in one. The most recent movie I could think of that has tried to do the same was "Funny People" but "50/50" is much more simple in its theme and portrayal. Now I enjoyed this movie, but I just… More
  "50/50" has almost the perfect blend of comedy and drama in one. The most recent movie I could think of that has tried to do the same was "Funny People" but "50/50" is much more simple in its theme and portrayal. Now I enjoyed this movie, but I just didn't find it particularly funny. Everyone's been giving Joseph Gordon-Levitt much praise for his recent outings ("500 Days of Summer", "Inception") and you can see how he is developing more and more as an actor; however, I'm one of the few that doesn't think he's particularly GREAT as many say he is. Don't get me wrong, there is a pivotal scene in "50/50" that Joseph Gordon-Levitt pulls off magnificently but overall, he's a bit dry in his performances. His chemistry with Seth Rogen's character doesn't carry a tangible quality and his relationship with the actresses isn't very believable. But because of Gordon-Levitt's experience, it isn't a movie-breaker -- it's just those with a keen eye for solid acting may be let down by his performance. But he isn't the real culprit for 50/50's lack of substance; its the screenplay. The dialogue is very minimal -- so minimal to the point where the audience can clearly see that certain plot elements aren't elaborated on because of the filmmaker's fear of an inadequate movie. This isn't to say that the movie sucks. When the audience sees the struggles Gordon-Levitt's character needs to face, they're invested and interested, but for most of the movie, they're not convinced of the characters' relationships. There isn't much to say about the movie but the fact that it executes the story and drama in an entertaining way but not the dialogue. The comedic value has much to be desired for but it isn't enough to avoid this movie.

• Jameson W

  
  Honestly, I think this is one of the best drama/comedy films I have seen in a very long time. The cast is perfect and Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines...

• Directors C

  
  It's very hard to make a comedy film about a topic like cancer. Suprisingly, 50/50 was funny, heartwarming and could easily switch from drama to comedy flawlessly. The real source of the comedy though is Seth Rogen who performs hilariously whilst easily managing not to offend… More
  It's very hard to make a comedy film about a topic like cancer. Suprisingly, 50/50 was funny, heartwarming and could easily switch from drama to comedy flawlessly. The real source of the comedy though is Seth Rogen who performs hilariously whilst easily managing not to offend anyone. Very good performances from all cast members and a well written script easily make this film one of the best of 2011. In my opinion, a real contender at the 2011 Academy Awards.

• Michael S

  
  To say this film tackles a difficult subject matter well would be a major understatement; "50/50" is masterful in it's approach. It never assaults the heartstrings and avoids sentimentality all together, but still manages to be one of the most emotionally resonant films… More
  To say this film tackles a difficult subject matter well would be a major understatement; "50/50" is masterful in it's approach. It never assaults the heartstrings and avoids sentimentality all together, but still manages to be one of the most emotionally resonant films in recent years. Everything rings true and I rarely connect to characters in such an honest and satisfying way. The film is also really funny mind you, and way smarter than just about every comedy out there. Great turns by it's entire cast here; Anna Kendrick and Seth Rogen have never been more likable and Joseph Gordon-Levitt has just become one of my favorite actors. Don't miss this film.

• Lewis C

  
  Excellent movie. 50/50 is heartfelt and touching without being sappy or cheesy, and it doesn't hurt that it's genuinely funny at times. Great performances all around, especially from Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The guy makes all the relationships in the movie, be that with his… More
  Excellent movie. 50/50 is heartfelt and touching without being sappy or cheesy, and it doesn't hurt that it's genuinely funny at times. Great performances all around, especially from Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The guy makes all the relationships in the movie, be that with his mother, his best friend, or his psychiatrist (even his dog!) seem real. 50/50 has an excellent cast top to bottom, and the great script gives them a chance to show it. This is officially the cancer movie for people who don't like movies about cancer. I'm usually put off by this kind of film, but I was so impressed by the cast and the positive buzz around it that I had to give it a try. And I'm glad I did. What you'll find here is a refreshing take on a subject that can be really tricky to "get right". It's not just about Joseph's character, it's about the people around him, and it handles that in a very honest way. Can't recommend it enough, really.

• Mike S

  
  Dealing with cancer is something a lot of us has to go through in one way or another - either as a victim or as someone close to a person with the disease. In my family, we have thankfully been spared from any such tragedy, even if there's been a couple of close calls. In this… More
  Dealing with cancer is something a lot of us has to go through in one way or another - either as a victim or as someone close to a person with the disease. In my family, we have thankfully been spared from any such tragedy, even if there's been a couple of close calls. In this heart-rending portrait of a young man who gets diagnosed with terminal cancer, they take a lighthearted approach in managing the darkness that comes with the deteriorating health of our main character. Joseph Gordon-Lewitt is fantastic in the role, and brings so much sympathy and inspiration to his bona fide performance, that you really believe he's going through it for real. At his side is also his best friend Kyle, played superbly by Seth Rogen, who lightens up the gloomy mood with his wonderful, contagious wit. Obviously, the message they want to tell with this film, is that no matter how hard or painful things may get, you always have the choice between two opposing paths: succumbing to despair or making the best of what you still have. Naturally, this all goes without saying, but the beauty of this movie is that it teaches us simple ways of coping with some of life's heavier sides. A nicely balanced mix of drama and humor, with a bittersweet air of real, palpable emotions. To know that it's also based on a story from real-life, makes it all the more potent and powerful. No doubt one of the best films ever made on the subject, with tremendous performances by everyone involved. For more of my reviews, feel free to visit my movie page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mikes-Movie-Reviews/281824101875153

• familiar s

  
  Except for a handful of scenes, I can't come to appreciate the efforts here. Be prepared to go back to the eighties. No, no, the movie's not set in the eighties, it's just the story. This sort of execution might have worked for me a decade back. The screenplay is… More
  Except for a handful of scenes, I can't come to appreciate the efforts here. Be prepared to go back to the eighties. No, no, the movie's not set in the eighties, it's just the story. This sort of execution might have worked for me a decade back. The screenplay is terribly run-of-the-mill. The humor doesn't work and the same goes for the emotional sequences. Wait, I've an exception there. Adam's break-down sequence in the car was par excellence. But no more than that. The characters fail to evoke any feeling towards them except for a dog!!! The actors did okay considering their ineffectively penned roles. I wasn't expecting such a disappointment, but I'm over it now.

• Jon J

  
  Cancer is always a difficult subject. After all, untimely death is among its many awful results. So building any sort of comic background around such a delicate matter is a risky venture. This is what 50/50 tries and, for the most part, succeeds in doing without detracting from the… More
  Cancer is always a difficult subject. After all, untimely death is among its many awful results. So building any sort of comic background around such a delicate matter is a risky venture. This is what 50/50 tries and, for the most part, succeeds in doing without detracting from the drama. It's a dramedy that works in both making you laugh and making you cry, though it doesn't reach fantastic height in either direction. Regardless, it's a good film that has great performances and a good message, albeit one that doesn't hit as hard as it otherwise could. Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Adam, a young man who, after some back pain, is diagnosed with schwannoma/neurofibrosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Understandably, this profoundly shakes up his life, testing his relations with all around him. This is particularly apparent regarding his friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and his mother (Anjelica Huston). They all react differently in turn, resulting in them proving themselves as either true friends or deserters. The premise is one that isn't all that unfamiliar, but what separates it from the chaff is the inclusion of humor throughout. Obviously, Seth Rogen supplies some very witty lines, and is in fact the comedic backbone of the film. The rest of the cast do take part in the jokes, though, Gordon-Levitt balances the funny and the sad parts of his tribulations admirably. He's grown greatly in his acting and he's clearly a rising star in cinema. The acting is in fact the strongest part of the film. You truly feel for Adam, while the supporting cast does a great job in reflecting their own problems in how they deal with Adam's cancer. Bryce Howard has been prominent in 2011, with another great role here as the prominently superficial girlfriend, Seth is as previously mentioned the source of much hilarity and Anjelic Huston portrays a mother in a personal crisis beautifully, showing just how difficult it must be to have a son with an ailment as serious as cancer. As good as the acting is, however, 50/50 is not without its problems. Probably the most unfortunate is that the actual psychological consequences of cancer diagnosis, and the life-altering changes in perspective towards life, are at best glanced at. The general sadness and trauma is translated without a hitch but the actual drive and deeper meaning of these general feelings are lacking. We really only see Adam as his friends and family do, superficially and nothing more. It makes the film less affecting as a result. To put it simply, more could be done to actually inspect Adam's internal conflicts, knowing that there is a 50% chance that there will be no "next week". Instead, we only see how Adam reacts to his problem and though that can work in a certain capacity, with the prospect at hand it only comes off as disappointing. In spite of that, 50/50 is a good example of how you can look on both the humorous and dramatic side of a horrible situation. It's a nice, funny and heart-felt story, littered with great performances and interesting interplay between the various characters, showing that the greatest assets an individual can have in crisis are true friends. It's not the most memorable of movies, but what it does have is a heart.

• Matthew S

  
  Similar to how a roller coaster's initial high makes the fall more intense, the comedic approach here enhances the tragedy of cancer. It isn't trying to set us up; the comedy comes naturally to keep Adam out of despair. At the climax, when we are about to find out how it all… More
  Similar to how a roller coaster's initial high makes the fall more intense, the comedic approach here enhances the tragedy of cancer. It isn't trying to set us up; the comedy comes naturally to keep Adam out of despair. At the climax, when we are about to find out how it all ends, I was stricken with a grieving sob -- not for Adam, but for all of us who have been directly and indirectly touched by the terrible mess that is cancer. Then Dr. Arroway's line in the movie "Contact" came to me: "I was given ...a vision of the universe that tells us, undeniably, how tiny, and insignificant, and how rare, and precious we all are!"

• Tim S

  
  A surprising film that I really enjoyed. The performances are good all around, but I thought Seth Rogen stole the show as the supportive best friend. The chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and Rogen is great and the movie does a great job of walking a thin line between comedy and drama… More
  A surprising film that I really enjoyed. The performances are good all around, but I thought Seth Rogen stole the show as the supportive best friend. The chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and Rogen is great and the movie does a great job of walking a thin line between comedy and drama in what could have become a sappy run of the mill cancer drama, but excels as a humanistic look at dealing with disease.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Marie Avgeropoulos, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Serge Houde, Andrew Airlie, Matt Frewer, Philip Baker Hall Director: Jonathan Levine Summary: An otherwise healthy twentysomething has a… More
  Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Marie Avgeropoulos, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Serge Houde, Andrew Airlie, Matt Frewer, Philip Baker Hall Director: Jonathan Levine Summary: An otherwise healthy twentysomething has a comically early midlife crisis when he gets slapped with a cancer diagnosis -- and a 50-50 chance of survival. But what's the meaning of life when you're not sure how long yours will last? My Thoughts: "Cancer. I don't think there is a single person who hasn't been affected by this disease. I've unfortunately lost friends and family to the disease. So it always brings up those emotions when your watching a film that has anything to do with the illness. That was what this film was, emotional. The anger, the disbelief, the unknown, the pain, all of it has to be scary as hell. Not only for the person going through it, but for those around that person as well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is amazing in this role. I have said many times that he is a favorite of mine and I see every movie he plays in. He is one of the best actor's out there. Seth Rogen is great in this as well. Although he does the comedic thing well, he can also do the serious roles well too. He brings comedic relief but you can see it's only to mask his worry and his fear of losing his best friend. The cast is brilliant and they all do a fantastic job. The movie is far from depressing considering the illness being the main subject. It's just a great story that many can relate to. A must see."

• Chris M

  
  50/50 is well written, funny and sad. The acting in this movie is excellent and the film is a great example of how to balance comedy and drama. An overall great film and definitely one of the best of 2011.

• Sanjay R

  
  This crew has the balls to make a comedy about cancer and the creativity to make it work. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a great sympathy-deserving victim, Rogen is great comic relief, and Kendrick and Howard do well. It is, however, poorly paced, but a funny/heartfelt story overcomes all… More
  This crew has the balls to make a comedy about cancer and the creativity to make it work. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a great sympathy-deserving victim, Rogen is great comic relief, and Kendrick and Howard do well. It is, however, poorly paced, but a funny/heartfelt story overcomes all to make this a very good movie.

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