50/50: A Film So Good They Named It Twice
Written by Robyn Jacobs
A film about cancer - something that you would never expect to laugh at. But this latest offering from director Jonathon Levine hits the mark in more ways than one. With a stellar cast and an excellent script this film is a sure-fire hit.
Based on the real life experiences of writer Will Reiser, we follow the story of Adam, a 27yearold diagnosed with a schwannoma. Lead Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the slightly geeky-looking kid who once starred in ‘3rd Rock From the Sun’ and ’10 Things I Hate About You’ has transformed into a young actor with a wealth of blockbuster films behind him. After ‘500 Days of Summer’ and ‘Inception’, ‘50/50’ does not disappoint. Playing opposite him is Seth Rogen (‘Knocked Up’, ‘The 40-YearOld Virgin’) reliving the role he played in reality for Will Reiser - the funny man dealing with a friend’s cancer.
Although funny and heart-warming, this film opens your eyes to what happens outside of the examination room. It is easy to forget that although a patient can tell you that they are fine, you have no idea what they are dealing with in the weeks or months before you next see them. The storyline deals with not only the angst that Adam has to go through, but also that of those around him - his friends, family and loved ones.
Anna Kendrick (‘Up in the Air’, ‘Twilight’) plays a young therapist helping Adam through his cancer journey. Although she is meant to have a PhD, it is made clear that she is at the very beginning of her training. How she is able to help her patients, despite her youth, is a reassuring image of how we, as medical students, could be. She opens up to him and shows her weaknesses which allows the patient to connect with her on a level that isn’t just on the superficial patient-doctor relationship.
As much as I could praise this film, I did at some points despair at the way in which they portrayed the medical profession. Although nobody is perfect, I very much doubt that a trained oncologist, even if he was American, would simply dictate into a microphone and then look surprised that his patient wanted to ask a question. With healthcare litigation becoming more common and faith in healthcare providers now almost non-existent, would it not be better to portray doctors in a slightly less demeaning light?
I am not going to spoil the film for you and tell you which 50 Adam ended up in, but I will tell you this. Do not go to see this with anyone you wouldn’t want to cry in front of. Even if you can cry subtly - or think you can.
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