Movies: Beating the Odds

The new drama/comedy movie "50/50" opened in theatres everywhere September 30, and it's a good one.  It was inspired by the true story of writer Will Reiser, who battled cancer in his mid-20s, with actor Seth Rogan alongside to experience it all.  This adds to the truth inside this story about friendship, love, survival, and finding humor in the most unlikely places.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Adam, and Seth Rogen, as Kyle, star as best friends who remind us that friendship and love are the greatest of healers.  It's a movie about cancer, and sure that's supposed to be sad, but it's actually a pretty funny movie.  I know you're thinking, "What's so funny about cancer?" right?  Believe it or not, quite a lot.  The cancer in itself isn't funny, of course, but the events that take place make this movie surprisingly hilarious.

Adam is a tightly wound NPR drone, who rhapsodizes about Swiffers and refuses to jaywalk even when there isn't a car in sight. His best friend, Kyle, is a guy whose interests include getting high and talking about blow jobs in the latte line. So what happens to these two kooky fellas when 27-year-old Adam discovers he has a rare form of spinal cancer and just a 50 percent chance at survival?  A movie that is brutally honest in its storytelling.

One of the more touching scenes in the movie occurs when Adam is about to go into surgery, and he tells his dad, who has Alzheimers, that he knows he doesn't understand what is happening, and that he is a great father whom he loved very much.  The complete breakdown of Adam was highlighted by Rogen basically reliving the experience, and Levitt nailing the emotion needed for the shot.  Levitt only signed on to play the role just two days before shooting took place.  I believe the film has Oscar worthy performance by both Rogen and Levitt. 

I highly recommend this movie; it will make you laugh and cry.  It's very rare to find a movie that stays as true to a story with its acting as this movie, probably about as rare as the spinal cancer that Adam has in this movie.  Go and see it with your friends, your family, your lovers, and even your enemies.  And take with you the lesson to enjoy life.  I give this movie 10 out of 10.  Here's an interesting fact: the jogger that passes Adam in the beginning sequence is his psychiatrist Katherine, played by Anna Kendrick.  Look for it; it'll pass you by rather quickly.