In 7 words or less: Bromance whilst coping with the big C.
What's it all About? Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) 27, is suddenly and very unexpectedly diagnosed with a very rare and very aggressive form of cancer. He is given a 50/50 chance of survival by his doctor and immediately starts chemo therapy. Believe it or not but this is predominantly a comedy film, obviously it's dealing with extremely delicate subject matter, but you'd still find it sitting next to American Pie and Nacho Libre in Blockbuster video or (if you're all modern) the comedy tab on net flix or love film. It's a bromance of sorts I guess, Adam has to try and come to terms with his illness whilst managing various relationships, his best friend, Kyle (Seth Rogen) provides the dick and fart jokes along the way.
Best bits? Any scene with Seth Rogen is laugh out loud funny (lol, lolz or lolling). This isn't the sort of film where you want him trying anything new, you just want him to be the tubby, rude best friend with all the best lines. He's not really tubby anymore though, but you can tell he probably used to be. Well done Sir.
The chemo sessions where Adam gets to know some other (older) unfortunate cancer patients are really touching. I love how the old boys have no time for his young, silly ways. In one scene Adam is trying to explain (or rather make excuses) to why his girlfriend doesn't come to the hospital with him, 'It's an energy thing' he says, quick as a flash the old timer zings his ass with 'sounds like a bullshit thing!' Glorious stuff.
I really enjoy the slow building relationship Adam has with his therapist (Anna Kendrick). Their scenes together are really natural and oh man do you want them to get together!
Did it make you think thoughts? Cancer is harsh as f#*k. This was my overriding thought, but after that initial analysis, other thoughts trickled down from my brainbox: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is insanely charming and likeable in every film I've seen in him; at the moment I think he's doing that whole 'this seems to be working for me, I'll keep doing it' sort of thing. He pretty much plays what appears to be himself - a thoroughly nice chap, in all of his films. For me, that's something he's going to have to change relatively soon, although in 50/50 I wouldn't have him play it any other way!
I love the 'matter of fact' or rather 'non glossy' way this film deals with cancer; there are no grandiose declarations of Adam having cancer, no sweeping film score, no single tear trickling down in slow mo, no looking out to sea asking 'why me'. It's not that it's underplayed, the film makers haven't just said 'let's do cancer but make it a comedy, that will be quirky', the subject is handled with complete respect through out. This is an incredibly touching, real world story about a 27 year old diagnosed with cancer. Sounds bleak I know but it's a magnificently funny, well crafted and beautifully poignant film.
Would you watch it again? Yes. It's got repeat views in her for sure.
Rating (out of 100%): 84% Despite the subject matter this is such a feel good film!
