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Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston ... see more see more... , Serge Houde , Philip Baker Hall , Andrew Airlie , Matt Frewer , Donna Yamamoto , Sugar Lyn Beard , Yee Jee Tso , Sarah Smyth , Peter Kelamis , Jessica Parker Kennedy , Daniel Bacon , P. Lynn Johnson , Laura Bertram , Matty Finochio , Luisa D'Oliveira , Veena Sood , Jason Vaisvila , Brent Sheppard , Marie Avgeropoulos , Adrian McMorran , Stephanie Belding , Andrea Brooks , Ryan W. Smith , Karen Van Blankenstin , William "Bigsleeps" Stewart , Bonnie Bollivar , Beatrice Ilg , Chilton Crane , Amitai Marmorstein , Lauren Miller , Will Reiser , Richard C. Burton , Neil Corbett , Karolina Sabat , Christopher De Schuster , Susan McLellan , Marlow the Wonderdog

Inspired by a true story, 50/50 is an original story about friendship, love, survival and finding humor in unlikely places. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen star as best friends whose lives are cha... read more read more...nged by a cancer diagnosis in this new comedy directed by Jonathan Levine from a script by Will Reiser. 50/50 is the story of a guy's transformative and, yes, sometimes funny journey to health - drawing its emotional core from Will Reiser's own experience with cancer and reminding us that friendship and love, no matter what bizarre turns they take, are the greatest healers. -- (C) Summit Entertainment

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90% liked it

61,616 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

176 critics

R, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Jonathan Levine

Release Date: September 30, 2011

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DVD Release Date: January 24, 2012

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Bryce Dallas Howard Joseph Gordon-Levitt Seth Rogen 50/50 Anna Kendrick Joseph Gordon-Levitt Seth Rogen Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joseph Gordon-Levitt 50/50 50/50 50/50 50/50 50/50 50/50 50/50 50/50 Rachael
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Flixster Reviews (6,779)

  • StarCrossedVoyager
    May 23, 2012
    StarCrossedVoyager
    A very intense and emotional watch. It's so easy to feel for Adam and it's almost as if you're going through the process with him. You hate the people he does and feel every moment of his pain, but that's down to a great script and a great performance from Gordon-Levitt. Kyle was... read more a well needed fun and interesting character who kept the spirits up and added so much hilarity that without him, I believe I really wouldn't have liked this film so much. It's very raw and honest and something everyone should see.
  • katykern8261
    May 22, 2012
    katykern8261
    Directed by Jonathan Levine, Mandate Pictures, 2011. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Angelica Houston.

    Genre: Comedy. Drama

    Question: If you are given the odds of 50% when diagnosed with cancer, what is your first thought: 5... read more0% chance you'll beat it or do you think 50% chance you are going to die? The movie 50/50 represents one cancer patient's progression with discovering his diagnosis while receiving those odds. I will have to admit the movie showed a rather accurate portrayal, in my opinion.

    I know I put a lot of my personal life in these reviews but since movies try depicting stories we can relate to, I sometimes feel compelled to share my correlations and why I enjoyed the film or not. Although I did not have cancer, I did have a rather serious illness a few years back. While watching 50/50 I was in awe, but sometimes uncomfortable, at how close it came to reality when you to discover you are really sick.

    1. You get the news: you have an outer body experience.
    2. In the beginning you are irrationally calm.
    3. You worry about others more than yourself.
    4. Then fear slowly takes over.
    5. You push people away.
    6. And finally you accept the possibility that you could die.
    7. Well, this last part is up to you and if you see the glass as half full or half empty...

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, the 27 year-old who receives the news that he has a rare form of cancer. For the next 90 minutes you see his life veer off a set path he had for himself. He is a fairly anal fellow who is a stickler about being on time for everything, a clean-freak and he never attempts to go out of his comfort zone. He even doesn't drive, which I never figured out why but I have my theories. It's his reactions and emotions that pulled me into this story. He did a fabulous job at playing sick, vulnerable and courageous.

    I don't want to share anymore details about the story specifically, but the characters that took part in Adam's illness are worth a discussion or two. Bryce Dallas Howard plays his girlfriend. She really is getting very good at playing characters you really love to hate; however, she might have played one of the most realistic characters in 50/50. Some people fear death and dying or the ill and the reactions that come from that never surprise me...now.

    Angelica Houston plays Adam's mother. Oh boy! She played it exactly how mothers respond when they hear their own child is ill. All mothers worry - it's a fact. However, they also keep many things to themselves and that discovery may shock some of their children. Angelica Houston did an outstanding job at portraying the worry, the fear and the self-reliance one requires when her world comes crashing down. No Terms of Endearment moments although it got close.

    Seth Rogen plays Adam's best friend (Kyle) who is slightly obnoxious, always trying to get laid, etc... but he ended up surprising me in this movie. Nope, I am not going to say how - see it for yourself. I am not the biggest Seth Rogen fan but have enjoyed a few of his movies. However, in 50/50 he was able to play the stereotypical best friend but with a twist. There is one scene, which I won't describe, but if you have ever had a friend and know you need proof to show them something to help them see the light - then see this scene. You will thoroughly enjoy it.

    It states above that this is a comedy and a drama. This is true. There was one fellow in the theatre with me that laughed out loud a lot although it only made me smile. There were a few scenes in where I choked up, but I already said this hit too close to home for me. 50/50 did a fantastic job at portraying a life and death illness with some humor and real emotions. That's sort of rare so I recommend seeing this one.

    My favorite part: The proof.

    My least favorite part: That it hit a little too close to home for me.

    Rating: R
    Length: 99 minutes

    Review: 7 out of 10
  • fb223580
    May 15, 2012
    fb223580
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt is such a mesmerizing young actor. In this or 500 Days of Summer, sometimes the pain in his face is so tough to watch but he doesn't hold anything back. He and Seth "Knocked Up" Rogen were a great duo, though Rogen is quickly getting typecast and his weed /... read more get-laid jokes are getting stale. And you can't NOT love Anna Kendrick.
  • cosmo313
    May 6, 2012
    cosmo313
    This is a dramedy inspired by real events about a young man named Adam who, despite living a healthy lifestyle (that includes caring about the environment), is diagnosed with a very serious and rare type of spinal cancer. His chances of survival are 50/50, and the bulk of the fi... read morelm is basically a fish out of water story that follows him as he tries to deal with his situation with the help (or sometimes lackthereof) of his vulgar but well meaning best friend Kyle, his overbearing mother Diane, his cold, cruel girlfriend Rachael, and his kind, but young and inexperienced therapist Katherine.

    WHile there are some (much needed) laughs and moments of levity, this is mostly a very well made, emotional and sincere drama. Yes, it's the kind of thing that pulls on your heartstrings, but it's better done and less manipulative than something like Terms of Endearment. It's the kind of story where it doesn't have to have humor, but it makes things a little easier to handle, and also makes the film seem more genuine and down to Earth.

    This is all tricky territory to get right tonally, but screenwriter Will Reiser (who based the script on his personal experiences) pulls it off almost completely flawlessly. The only real missteps I saw (and these are just gripes) are the way that the scenes with the doctor are handled (especially when Adam receives his diagnosis) and the general arc with Rachael. This film marked the second time in 2011 where Bryce Dallas Howard played an out of touch bitch that you just love to hate. Her scenes aren't terrible, but they felt kinda flat. I used to give her the benefit of the doubt, maybe becaue I was hoping she'd really be more than just an attractive face, but I'm really starting to feel like she doesn't have the talent she seemed to posess.

    Other than that, this is a great movie. Rogen's portrayal of Kyle is one of his best. Yeah, it seems very simialr to sosme of his pat work, but there's a nuance to it, and you get the feeling that the way his character acts (even if it includes taking advantage of Adam's situation for his personal gain) is on;y becaue that's the only way he knows how to deal with the situation. I also really loved the supporting appearances by Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer as two older cancer patients who show Adam the ropes to a degree, and also how the film doesn't entirely go for a full on romance between Adam and Katherine.

    This is a good mix of humor, sadness, and every other emotion in between, and the result is a fantastic film. Levine knocked it out of the park with The Wackness (I thought), and he's done it once again with this one. Highly recommended.
  • sanjurosamurai
    April 12, 2012
    sanjurosamurai
    maybe even better than the rating im giving it. hilarious and touching, the acting was excellent, the script clever and purposeful, and the story focused not only the politics or sentimentalism but rather on the people involved in the details of the circumstances. a phenomenal ... read morefilm.
  • danperry17
    April 7, 2012
    danperry17
    Young man gets cancer... and Seth Rogen's in it, too. For all the things that I thought could go wrong with this film and its promise of black humour - see Funny People or Observe and Report for Rogen's last two failures on that front - I was pleasantly surprised. It's an honest ... read moreand realistic portrayal of how the rug could be pulled out from under any of our selfish pairs of feet tomorrow. Touching, and tough to watch in places, and yes, funny, too. My only complaint would be the soundtrack: Radiohead and Pearl Jam are just too big-time to drift in and colour the action, I found them distracting. Still, I liked the movie a lot more than I didn't, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt shows that his star continues to rise, taking this ensemble of young actors and more than capably carrying them across the finish line. Definitely watch this.
  • SirPant
    March 28, 2012
    SirPant
    A Hollywood movie about Cancer that doesn't intentionally pull at the heartstrings to win awards, a very welcome relief. It actually handles the subject matter very well, even though many of us have been effected by cancer, it's still very much a taboo subject - certainly one tha... read moret is avoided in conversation. I actually work in a cancer trials centre and I can faithfully say that this is a welcome film. It is an emotional film, very sad at times but the humour is a welcome inclusion that is never in bad taste and is used sparingly. Ok, so it's not sugar-coated but it is slightly sweetened for entertainment purposes but I would argue it is better for it. The actors all do a great job, Rogan being a friend of the guy the story is based on helped in that respect and it shows. Recommended. On another note, Matt Frewer - please bring back Max Headroom!!
  • fb1463751009
    March 10, 2012
    fb1463751009
    "50/50" has almost the perfect blend of comedy and drama in one. The most recent movie I could think of that has tried to do the same was "Funny People" but "50/50" is much more simple in its theme and portrayal. Now I enjoyed this movie, but I just didn't find it particularly fu... read morenny.

    Everyone's been giving Joseph Gordon-Levitt much praise for his recent outings ("500 Days of Summer", "Inception") and you can see how he is developing more and more as an actor; however, I'm one of the few that doesn't think he's particularly GREAT as many say he is. Don't get me wrong, there is a pivotal scene in "50/50" that Joseph Gordon-Levitt pulls off magnificently but overall, he's a bit dry in his performances. His chemistry with Seth Rogen's character doesn't carry a tangible quality and his relationship with the actresses isn't very believable. But because of Gordon-Levitt's experience, it isn't a movie-breaker -- it's just those with a keen eye for solid acting may be let down by his performance.

    But he isn't the real culprit for 50/50's lack of substance; its the screenplay. The dialogue is very minimal -- so minimal to the point where the audience can clearly see that certain plot elements aren't elaborated on because of the filmmaker's fear of an inadequate movie. This isn't to say that the movie sucks. When the audience sees the struggles Gordon-Levitt's character needs to face, they're invested and interested, but for most of the movie, they're not convinced of the characters' relationships.

    There isn't much to say about the movie but the fact that it executes the story and drama in an entertaining way but not the dialogue. The comedic value has much to be desired for but it isn't enough to avoid this movie.
  • jamers2011
    March 3, 2012
    jamers2011
    Honestly, I think this is one of the best drama/comedy films I have seen in a very long time. The cast is perfect and Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines...
  • aquateen2
    February 27, 2012
    aquateen2
    It's very hard to make a comedy film about a topic like cancer. Suprisingly, 50/50 was funny, heartwarming and could easily switch from drama to comedy flawlessly. The real source of the comedy though is Seth Rogen who performs hilariously whilst easily managing not to offend any... read moreone. Very good performances from all cast members and a well written script easily make this film one of the best of 2011. In my opinion, a real contender at the 2011 Academy Awards.

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Kennedy
September 30, 2011
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Still, it's Gordon-Levitt's choices that continue to impress. Sure, he owned one of the most jaw-dropping sequences in last summer's blockbuster Inception. But the actor remains drawn to profoundly hu... Full Review

Peter Rainer
September 30, 2011
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

Gordon-Levitt is an agreeably undemonstrative actor who plays well opposite the burbly Rogen. Full Review

Tom Long
September 30, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

Chances are about 90/10 that you'll enjoy 50/50. Full Review

Dana Stevens
September 30, 2011
Dana Stevens, Slate

Scene by scene, 50/50 can be both amusing and moving, with the tightly wound Gordon-Levitt and the boundaryless Rogen forming an oddly complementary pair. But as a whole the movie never quite coheres. Full Review

Bob Mondello
September 30, 2011
Bob Mondello, NPR

In other hands, Adam might well be hard to take. But as the comedy in 50/50 turns darker, Gordon-Levitt, who's maybe the most natural, least affected actor of his generation, makes prickly plenty enga... Full Review

Linda Barnard
September 30, 2011
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

An everyman tale with plenty of heart and honesty, the serious subject matter is regularly enlivened with jolts of genuine hilarity, some of it in delightfully questionable taste. Full Review

Mary Elizabeth Williams
September 30, 2011
Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon.com

What ensues is "Beaches" meets "Pineapple Express." Which, I've got to tell you, is pretty much what living with cancer is like. Full Review

Colin Covert
September 30, 2011
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Director Jonathan Levine has the ideal approach to the material, which is to stand aside, frame each scene honestly and let the actors drive the story. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
September 30, 2011
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

The truly outrageous idea, that you can use being gravely ill to get sympathy hookups for yourself and your friends - as underlined in the movie's original, better title, "I'm With Cancer" - is given ... Full Review

Lou Lumenick
September 30, 2011
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

It succeeds mostly thanks to stellar work by the wonderful Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who capably handles the dramatic heavy lifting, and Seth Rogen, who delivers big laughs as his raunchy bud. Full Review

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    • Adam: What were you doing when I called? Were you on facebook?
    • Katherine: You know... umm... stalking my ex-boyfriend actually isn't the only thing I do in my free time.
    • Adam: I wish you were my girlfriend.
    • Katherine: Girlfriends can be nice. You just had a bad one.
    • Adam: I bet you'd be a good one.
    • Kyle: Of course she doesn't like to. No one likes putting a dick in their mouth.
    • Adam: No, seriously... you need to get the fuck off my porch.
    • Adam: See, but... that's bullshit. That's what everyone has been telling me since the beginning. 'Oh, you're gonna be okay,' and 'Oh, everything's fine,' and like, it's not... It makes it worse... that no one will just come out and say it. Like, 'hey man, you're gonna die.'
    • Alan: I'm Alan Lombardo, stage three lymphoma. Pleased to meet you.
    • Mitch: Mitch Barnett, metastatic prostate cancer.
    • Adam: Nice to meet you. Oh, I'm Adam Lerner, schwannoma neurofibrosarcoma.
    • Kyle: Did he say I was a dick? 'Cause I'm not.
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