Film Review: 50/50

So what we have here is a comedy about cancer…risky stuff.

But when you hear that it stars Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) and Joseph Gordon-Hewitt (500 Days of Summer), your hopes instantly rise.

The film is actually loosely based on the real-life experience of the screenwriter Will Reiser and sees Adam (Gordon –Hewitt) diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the very early age of 27. He has a 50/50 chance of survival and while he has the support of his family, girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard) and best friend (Rogen), we follow him on the difficult battle many face every day.

This film isn’t a comedy but it is a much more light-hearted approach to the usually depressingly weepy cancer film. Don’t get me wrong, there are still some tear-jerker moments but they fade away as you laugh at the many awkwardly hilarious moments shared between Levitt, Anna Kendrick ( his counselor) and Rogen.



When he hears his diagnosis Adam protest about the fact he doesn’t smoke, lives a healthy life…..recycles! And there you have the type of goofy jokes that make such a dreary situation that bit less depressing.

This film is such a fresh take on a typically female tearjerker topic in the world of film. Gordon-Hewitt gives yet another good performance and is continuing his impressive streak as a young actor. Rogen is there to provide the laughs and we all know he can do that well but it was intereting to see that he can take on slightly more subdued roles and pull it off.

The main females in the cast also give strong performances with Anna Kendrick showing she is one of the winners since entering the film world in Twilight. She is perfectly awkward when playing the inexperienced but eager counsellor and her rapport with Gordon-Hewitt make the characters even more relatable.

Another twilight star Bryce Dallas Howard is perfect as the pretty yet slightly horrible girlfriend who you instantly know from her first scene doesn’t quite have the same amount of love for poor old Adam.

Will Reiser was diagnosed with cancer aged 24 and his best friend is Seth Rogen. It’s so amazing to see how certain situations can help to create movies that will help others going through the same situation as well as educate those who have never experienced it.

Reviewed by Nola Ojomu

Published: Movierooms.net