50/50 (2011)

Based on real events from screenwriter Will Reiser's life, 50/50 eventually overcomes the chief cliches of a cancer movie to provide a realistic view of a young man enduring treatment for a rare type of spinal cancer. Director Jonathan Levine (The Wackness) imbues the film with moments of playfulness and heartfelt sentiment, and star Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a profound performance. With Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anjelica Huston. Marketed as a comedy and buddy film, 50/50 is neither of these. The film offers a seriocomic exploration of loyalty, mortality, and loneliness. The film opens on Friday. Read my review.