50/50

Expectations:
From the first time I saw the preview for 50/50, I knew that I would love it. I love funny movies with a serious storyline, and that's what I expected from 50/50. Seth Rogen is rather hilarious and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a very good actor and, in the preview, it looked as if they would compliment each other quite well. There is no doubt that cancer is a sensitive subject for many, so I was very interested in seeing how they would balance the funny and serious moments throughout the film.

Plot:
50/50 had a weird vibe about it in the beginning. I didn't quite feel the emotion of the serious moments until about half way through, but, looking back, I can see how that really mirrored the emotions of Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). There were some very very funny parts, but I felt like the movie was more serious than funny overall. There was a little bit of a relationship story going on with Adam, and I felt like the approach to that was very good as well. To know that this was based on the real life story of one of Seth Rogen's friends really made me get more attached to the characters. It really was very real, and I felt like this could seriously happen to me, which had me really anticipating knowing the end of the story.

Best Scene: I don't want to give anything away, but there were two scenes that almost made me cry. One is when Adam is about to have surgery, and one is when he is driving Kyle's (Seth Rogen) car. I won't say anything else, but be on the lookout for these scenes, if you go watch the film.

Characters:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a phenomenal job playing Adam, but, regardless of the actor, the character was really easy for me to connect with, being a guy in his 20s. Unfortunately, I kind of thought that Kyle and Adam were not exactly the ideal friends for this kind of movie. Adam seemed completely alone for the most part, when I expected Kyle to kind of be the guy that supported him throughout. This relationship matured toward the end of the movie, but it still wasn't what I expected. Nevertheless, Seth Rogen was hilarious as usual. Anna Kendrick was a good addition to the film, and I think they gave her just enough screen time. Adam's mom, played by Angelica Houston, was really a great character that helped you get even more attached to Adam and his problems.

Best Character: Alan and Mitch, played by Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer, really were a phenomenal, unexpected addition to the cast. They were older men who went through their chemo with Adam, and the friendship among the three of them was really neat to watch.

Worst Character: Rachael, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, was really the only bad part of the entire film. The character was necessary and really made for an interesting story, but I don't think Howard did a good job at all. It was very awkward when she was on screen.

Conclusion:
This was a GREAT movie. I have only cried during two movies ever in my life, but this one had me as close to tears as you can get. There is no way that a young person could watch 50/50 and not be affected by the story. The cast was brilliant, there were some hilarious parts, and the story was real. I don't know what else you could ask for in a film. I could not imagine going through what this guy did, and I really hope that I never have to. I keep trying to imagine myself in his place, and I just can't make myself. If you want to appreciate life more, go watch this movie! I give 50/50 4.2 out of 5 stars and warn you to grab some tissues.