I don't usually like Seth Rogen, but he did really good in this.

Such a amazing movie. Definitely worth every second.

A solid and very underrated film.  I was very surprised that I liked this as I am generally not a fan of Rogen's work. follow me at https://IHateBadMovies.com

A complex ball of emotion that fits snugly into the confused mental state of a fresh cancer diagnosee and his confidants. It's an unusual setting for a comedy, which leads to a few situations where it feels like we should ask permission to laugh, but that plays into the central theme that there's no right or wrong way to deal with something so complicated. It's not wall-to-wall laughs, either, which would give the impression that it's taking the subject too lightly. Seth Rogan plays his typical role excellently, the wise-cracking frat boy facsimile everybody seems to know, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt balances him out with a harsh dose of sarcasm cut with grim reality. It's sneakily effective about investing us in the cast, and by the time the end rolls around they're almost family. A bit formulaic and weepy at times, neither are quite excessive enough to incite accusations of being a closet chick flick, and it's often ready with a firm punchline just when it's needed.

There are films that slip in quietly and suddenly hit you right in the chest. 50/50 is one of them. It looks like another illness-drama on paper, but from the first scenes you can feel a different approach: more honest, more grounded, and far less manipulative. It doesn’t pull your tears out; it simply lets you enter the story. Joseph Gordon-Levitt holds everything together. He shows vulnerability without turning it into a sad performance. There are moments when you understand everything he’s losing just by looking at him. And then there’s Seth Rogen, who seems like he doesn’t belong at first, but ends up being that clumsy, necessary laughter that appears when fear gets too big. The script is wonderful, and that’s why the film works. It avoids melodrama and also avoids the easy joke. It finds this strange balance between anger, dark humor, tenderness and helplessness. And when the final stretch arrives, the emotional wave hits hard. It made me cry a lot, but in a way that feels strangely comforting. What I love is that it never tries to preach or offer life lessons. It’s a small story told with disarming sincerity. And even though it talks about the fear of dying, it ends up reminding you of the warmth of being alive and the importance of the people who stay when everything shakes. Simple, human, and painful in the best possible way.