Film Review: 50/50

“50/50”(2011, directed by Jonathan Levine) is a film based on the a inspired true story of the screenwriter Will Reiser. The film’s plot is about an ordinary man, Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a 27 year old radio journalist, who finds out that he has cancer in his spine that has survival rate of 50/50. The film starts with healthy Adam jogging in the morning in which foreshadows his back pain. After he finds out that he has cancer, he goes through conflict with himself. He goes through shock, denial, resistance, and acceptance.  Levine clearly illustrates the unique and odd characteristics of the characters: anxious and controlling mother (Anjelica Huston), vulgarizing best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), disloyal girlfriend Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard) and inexperienced therapist Katherine McKay (Anna Kendrick). He tries to find imminent comforts in marijuana and sex. However, he overcomes the struggle as he realizes that the importance of relationships with his close people. In the end, tumor is successfully removed and Adam goes on a date with his therapist, Katherine. 

Levine is praised for its cinematography in perfectly portraying and analyzing Adam’s life. The scenes are usually bright lighting that fits the setting of the normal daily life of an American man at his work and the hospital. He also uses dark lighting for reality of the night life in the club and the streets. The changing mood of the effects from camera and editing perfectly contrasts the life before and after having cancer. Kyle assists him in getting high and getting “laid.” Levine uses comedy by using sexual jokes and strong usage of profanity while sticking to the main cancer thesis. When Adam first hears his cancer diagnosis, Levine shows the common effect of the shock by muting the sound and focusing on the dumbfounded face of Adam. Levine uses one take when Adam shaves his head in which shows the effect of no turning back. With the explicit languages and expressions, Levine portrays the different characteristics of each character. He clearly shows the reality of the awkwardness between people by not placing background music. For example, audience can feel the awkward conversation between Adam and Katherine. By progressing in the natural steps of the cancer reactions, the audience is able to see the change in Adam.  These depictions shows the true effect of how painful cancer is like with chemotherapy. By showing Adam’s friends with cancer, mom going to support group, and Kyle and Katherine helping him, Levine shows that Adam is not alone in the fight. In the end, Adam gets support from the people he really cares and he realizes that he cannot live without them. Levine uses slow and blurry images to show the affect of drugs in Adam. Although conflicts grow between the relationships, Adam can see that they are his healers. 

“50/50” won and received many awards from film associations and film festivals. At the 69th Golden Globe Awards, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was nominated for Best Actor and the film was nominated for Best Picture. The budget for the film is estimated to be $8 million and the gross is around $35 million (www.boxofficemojo.com). It is a great movie that gives tribute to the patients fighting cancer around the world. The film depicts the fear and chemotherapy that shows that is is indeed deadly. It portrays the difficulties that they experience that has changed them from being ordinary human. “50/50” is a powerful film that leaves the audience with a strong message of relationship as ”it takes a pair to beat the odds”(50/50 tagline). It is a touching films and is rated R for profanity, use of drugs and partial nudity.