50/50 - Movie Review

I must admit I was slightly nervous about watching 50/50 starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen.  My aunt suffered cancer for over ten years and movies with related stories immediately strike a chord.  My fiance watched 50/50 and was super impressed thus highly recommending the movie to me.  And I couldn't be happier that he convinced me.

Summary:
50/50, written by Will Reiser and based on a true story, is the story of man named Adam who is diagnosed with spinal cancer.  The movie offers an inside look at the emotions Adam and his familhy and friends experience after the diagnosis.

Thoughts:
I loved this movie.  While telling a serious story of fear and grief, it also told the story of friendship, family and love.  Although a serious subject matter, it still managed to bring in humor.

I'm not an avid watcher of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's work.  Don't get me wrong, he has talent, but his movies are not normally of interest to me.  In 50/50, he did a great job of portraying Adam's character.  He was not only believable, but he caused me to feel emotions about different scenes in the movie.  His breakdown before surgery had me in tears as did his goodbyes to his family before heading to the exam room.

It's hard to picture funnyman Seth Rogen in a serious movie.  This role was perfect for him!  It gave me a different view into the acting dimensions Seth can take on.  His character Kyle is not only rude and crude, but is a caring and compassionate man who wants nothing more than to see his friend overcome his illness and wants to provide any support he can.  I initially didn't think the character would turn into much, but I was pleasantly surprised to see such a wonderful friendship transpire between Adam and Kyle.

Anna Kendrick plays therapist Katherine.  I love Anna Kendrick and most movies she's in so I was happy to see her name in the credits.  While her character was not such a fantastic role, she played the part with heart and emotion and turned a not so great role into a great one!

Adam's mom, played by Angelica Huston, is touted as being smothering and overprotective.  However, her reaction to Adam's diagnosis is to be expected.  Angelica does a great job of being the protective mom who wants her son to be happy and healthy.  One of my favorite moments of this character is the moment before Adam heads to surgery when she's cherishing the seconds she has with her son not knowing if they will be their last.

For me, having had a loved one suffer at the hands of cancer for so long, this movie was relatable.  There were moments of intense emotion that move the watcher as well as moments of jokes and laughter to help lighten the mood. 

If you're looking for a feel good movie that leaves you with a smile, 50/50 is it.