Taglines: It takes a pair to beat the odds.
Inspired by personal experiences, 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 changed by a cancer diagnosis. Rogen also serves as producer, along with Evan Goldberg and Ben Karlin. Jonathan Levine directs from a script by Will Reiser.
50/50 is an American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Levine, from a screenplay written by Will Reiser, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, with Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Serge Houde, Philip Baker Hall, Matt Frewer, and Anjelica Huston in supporting roles. The film is loosely inspired by Reiser’s own experience with cancer. The film received positive feedback from critics, and was a success at the box office, earning $39.1 million against an $8 million budget.
About the Story
Adam Lerner (Gordon-Levitt) is a 27-year-old public radio journalist in Seattle with an artist girlfriend Rachael (Howard), of whom his best friend and co-worker Kyle (Rogen) disapproves; where Kyle is brash and outspoken, Adam is more introverted and mild-mannered.
After experiencing harsh pains in his back, Adam learns from his doctor that he has schwannoma neurofibrosarcoma (a malignant tumor) in his spine, and must undergo chemotherapy. He sees on the Internet that his chances of survival are fifty-fifty. After Adam reveals his diagnosis, his overbearing mother, Diane (Huston), who already cares for her husband Richard (Houde) suffering from Alzheimer’s, wants to move in and care for him. Adam rejects this offer, as Rachael has promised to be the one to take care of him.
Rachael, however, is “uncomfortable” going into the hospital during Adam’s chemo treatments and is often late to pick him up, as Adam doesn’t drive; she also gets him a retired racing greyhound named Skeletor as a companion animal. Throughout Adam’s struggle, Kyle attempts to keep Adam’s spirits high, which include helping Adam shave his head prior to chemotherapy and suggesting that Adam use his illness as a way to pick up women after Adam and Rachael’s already-strained relationship reaches a boiling point when Kyle is on a date at an art gallery, sees Rachael kissing another man at an art gallery; Rachael comes clean and tells Adam that she is cheating on him, resulting in their break-up.
50/50
Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Sarah Smyth, Sugar Lyn Beard
Screenplay by: Will Reiser
Production Design by: Annie Spitz
Cinematography by: Terry Stacey
Film Editing by: Zene Baker
Costume Design by: Carla Hetland
Set Decoration by: Shane Vieau
Art Direction by: Ross Dempster
Music by: Michael Giacchino
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout, sexual content and some drug use.
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Release Date: September 30, 2011
Hits: 91
