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Inspired by scriptwriter Will Reiser’s battle with cancer, 50/50 faces all of the pitfalls of a Hallmark Channel disease-of-the-week movie, and it sometimes veers into that schmaltzy territory. However, despite those moments, the film is more than rescued by its fine cast and Reiser’s sharp, funny and honest writing. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen are so good here that they deserve awards buzz. They make 50/50, performance-wise, one of the best male buddy movies in a long time. Levitt plays Adam, a young man who finds out that he has cancer. Rogen plays his best friend, Kyle. When Reiser went through his real-life cancer battle, Rogen was one of his best friends, so Rogen is essentially playing himself. There’s no question that Rogen’s experience with a similar situation propels his performance, making it perhaps his best work to date.
Sick Laughs
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen make '50/50' an enjoyable cancer comedy »
Official Site: www.50-50themovie.com
Director: Jonathan Levine
Producer: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, Ben Karlin, Nathan Kahane and Will Reiser
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Howard, Philip Baker Hall and Anjelica Huston
Director: Jonathan Levine
Producer: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, Ben Karlin, Nathan Kahane and Will Reiser
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Howard, Philip Baker Hall and Anjelica Huston
Reviews/comments (2)
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What others are saying (10)
East Bay Express
Acting Nice
The Ides of March and 50/50 benefit from top-notch performances.
by Bob Grimm
10/05/2011
Acting Nice
The Ides of March and 50/50 benefit from top-notch performances.
by Bob Grimm
10/05/2011
Indy Week
Tonal duality of 50/50 more than a gimmick
The tonal duality of 50/50 is the language of ironic distance spoken by young moviegoers who largely have not faced their mortality.
by Neil Morris
09/28/2011
Tonal duality of 50/50 more than a gimmick
The tonal duality of 50/50 is the language of ironic distance spoken by young moviegoers who largely have not faced their mortality.
by Neil Morris
09/28/2011
NUVO
Ed reviews '50/50'
Half buddy comedy, half cancer drama, '50/50' has heart, but it fortunately steers away from sappy sentiment.
by Ed Johnson-Ott
09/28/2011
7 more reviews...
Ed reviews '50/50'
Half buddy comedy, half cancer drama, '50/50' has heart, but it fortunately steers away from sappy sentiment.
by Ed Johnson-Ott
09/28/2011
Boise Weekly
The Projector: Movies opening Friday, Sept. 30
Seth Rogen helps Joseph Gordon-Levitt combat cancer, inner-city toughs combat an alien invasion, a waitress combats her crooked husband, soul-searching cops combat criminals, Daniel Craig and Rachael Weisz combat their haunted home and Anna Faris combats her capricious love life. It's all at the movies.
by Garrett Horstmeyer
09/30/2011
The Projector: Movies opening Friday, Sept. 30
Seth Rogen helps Joseph Gordon-Levitt combat cancer, inner-city toughs combat an alien invasion, a waitress combats her crooked husband, soul-searching cops combat criminals, Daniel Craig and Rachael Weisz combat their haunted home and Anna Faris combats her capricious love life. It's all at the movies.
by Garrett Horstmeyer
09/30/2011
Boise Weekly
50/50: Cancer Isn't Funny But Life Is
BW chats up Rogen about his new film
by George Prentice
10/01/2011
50/50: Cancer Isn't Funny But Life Is
BW chats up Rogen about his new film
by George Prentice
10/01/2011
Colorado Springs Independent
Half measures: 50/50
If anything holds it all together, it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
by Scott Renshaw
09/29/2011
Half measures: 50/50
If anything holds it all together, it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
by Scott Renshaw
09/29/2011
Colorado Springs Independent
Opening this week
50/50, What's Your Number and other film events around town.
09/29/2011
Opening this week
50/50, What's Your Number and other film events around town.
09/29/2011
Portland Mercury
My 14 Favorite Movies of 2011
Why my favorites? Because I work at a newspaper and you don't!
by Erik Henriksen
12/29/2011
My 14 Favorite Movies of 2011
Why my favorites? Because I work at a newspaper and you don't!
by Erik Henriksen
12/29/2011
Charleston City Paper
Cancer dramedy 50/50 offers generational critique of millenials
In some sense,it seems like just about time for a Gen Y cancer comedy, and director Jonathan Levine's 50/50 is it.
by Felicia Feaster
09/28/2011
Cancer dramedy 50/50 offers generational critique of millenials
In some sense,it seems like just about time for a Gen Y cancer comedy, and director Jonathan Levine's 50/50 is it.
by Felicia Feaster
09/28/2011
