Although there is certain light-hearted, humorous air surrounding this new film, 50/50 portrays a scarily realistic account of what cancer patients of all ages have to deal with everyday. You can't help but follow in love with Joseph Gordon Levett's character "Adam". A young, successful radio journalist of only 27 years-old feels on the top of the world with his best friend and girlfriend by his side. What seemed to be just a simple backache turned out to be a very rare malignant tumor of the spine, and the trials and tribulations begin almost immediately. Like most Generation X and Y'ers, we take great pride in our independence. Adam is no different. Despite his initial plea for minimal help from his mother (who is also taking care of a husband suffering from Alzheimer's Disease), through many therapy sessions with an inexperienced Ph.d student, he realizes that he was kind of being an asshole. As the layers of denial and anger start to peel, your genuine hope for this character grows exponentially larger.
For anyone that has dealt with cancer, whether personally or through a family member, 50/50 hits almost too close to home (think Terms of Endearment). Having recently witnessed the detrimental effects of this awful disease on a close family member myself, it was almost as if I was reliving the entire process again. The chemotherapy and the subsequent sickness, sitting in hospital waiting rooms for hours, the physical and mental deterioration....I could go on, trust me. If it weren't for the consistent humor thanks to Gordon-Levett and Seth Rogen, this movie would have probably been too much for me to handle. At the same time, it's refreshing and almost therapeutic to see that no one is ever alone when dealing with this illness.
Besides the most obvious theme of the movie, others include betrayal, family, courage, friendships, loyalty, and in general, optimism. No matter who you are, there is something you can relate to in 50/50. It definitely gives you plenty to ponder and makes you want to hug a loved one.
On a side note, the soundtrack is quite spot on, featuring a number of singles that the indie community is sure to appreciate.
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