50/50 Post-Release

Aside from Bryce Dallas Howard playing a bitch for the 8000th time, I enjoyed this quite a bit as well. I thought it was pretty touching, and genuinely heartfelt, with a lot of sweet emotional beats provided by JGL's frustrated, somewhat introverted character. I thought he subtly created a guy you wanted to root for, but a guy with all sorts of little neuroses and compulsions and pet peeves that define him beyond his unfortunate plight, i.e. the discomfort with intimacy, his doormat status with his gf.

Also, SPOILERS, but I loved loved LOVED how the scene with Rogen revealing his girlfriend was cheating seemed funny, then sad, then uncomfortable, then funny again. Rogen's finest hour.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

 

 

Also, SPOILERS, but I loved loved LOVED how the scene with Rogen revealing his girlfriend was cheating seemed funny, then sad, then uncomfortable, then funny again. Rogen's finest hour.

Yeah, that scene went on so long that I almost felt sorry for the girlfriend.  I was kind of glad to hear that character wasn't based on a real person, because it would have seemed like character assassination.  

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this film.  If you didn't tear up with the scene where Levitt says goodbye to his senile father before going into his surgery, you are made of stronger stuff than I.  

The scene that moved me the most was when Levitt finds the book that has been serving as Rogen's bathroom reading material.  Rogen was very good in this. 

A really nice film.  That sounds light a slight against it, but it's not.  I really appreciated the laid-back tone to the whole thing.

It's been pointed out, but with Levitt being such an introverted character, the film is more about how others react to his cancer.  I found that fascinating.  I didn't even think Bryce Dallas Howard's character came across THAT bitchy.  As little screentime as she had, I actually found her character fascinating.  The film clearly sets up the fact that the relationship was strained before.  But I could actually empathize with the situation she was in.  Doesn't make what she did right, but I certainly don't think the film was condemning her... at least until she tried to sneak back into Levitt's life in her final scene.  Hahahaha.

Kendrick doesn't get much to do, but damn... is she cute.

Michael Giacchino did the score for this.  I found that odd.  

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Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

 

It's been pointed out, but with Levitt being such an introverted character, the film is more about how others react to his cancer.  I found that fascinating.

I kind of disagree. The toll chemo treatments take on Adam turns into a solid character arc for him. He starts out as a sort of slap-stick, gee-golly character, but after he starts going through some shit, he develops a bit of an edge. You get the sense that he would never have gone out cruising for chicks, with or without Kyle's pressure, before getting cancer. It's doubtful that he got with Howard's character through that method -- he probably fell into that relationship, or achieved it in a very passive way.

He goes from standing still/semi-oblivious as the world passes him by, to adopting a fuck-everything attitude in his grief, which develops into confidence and courage in the end. It's a hero's journey, and cancer may have been the best thing to ever happen to him, in the long run.

I'm pretty sure he stopped to watch that because he had been producing and editing a piece on that volcano for... what... three months? Six months? And he never got around to finishing it and the volcano blew up. 

Saw this yesterday, liked it very much. Joseph Gordon-Levitt needs to stop living my life, or at least how I would react when put into these situations.

Say what you will about 500 Days of Summer, but that was a very accurate portray of a modern quirky deal and how said guy tends to view the fair sex. This movie, by comparison, portrays believably how modern young men would deal with cancer (and death in general). There's definitely a degree of bromance going on between Gordon-Levitt and Rogen's characters, but the aforementioned Facing Cancer Together book found in the bathroom balances any negative Superbad vibes I'd been feeling. Not that I didn't enjoy that movie, but I was starting to feel burned out on Seth Rogen (and Jason Segel) movies about how raunchy young men don't talk about their emotions.

Yeah, I felt myself tearing up during the anesthesia scene. There are times where no matter how many artificial boundaries we put up, no matter how much we put on the facade of being an adult, we just want our mommy.

Yeah its very good. Scene that got me was the freak out in the car and the conversation the book in the restroom just cemented that sequence.

Joseph Gordon Levitt could be the best actor of his generation. Certainly seems that way so far. Rogen is outstanding kudos to him.

Nothing to do with the movie directly... but nonetheless, I think it's a cute video, and I hope JGL says yes. 

Do it, JGL!!!

Joseph Gordon Levitt, you must accept her offer.

The scene where JGL says goodbye to his Alzheimer-ridden father--just in case--hit me like a ton of bricks. I'd been doing pretty OK with it up until then, and then suddenly I start crying into my queso. 

Really fantastic film. It's probably going to get forgotten come awards time, but I thought the script and Levitt both deserve some recognition.

Shit, I'll take her out if you won't, JGL.

That video might be the sweetest thing I've seen all week. Do it, JGL! For great justice!

Loved this immensely. I managed to catch it about a month before release and the further I've gotten away from it the more it's grown on me. I'd actually intended on catching it again but that never came to pass.

Anyways, it's a strong film with some of my favorite performances in 2011. What struck me most about it is how much Levine considers the emotions of Adam's friends and family instead of just isolating us inside of his perspective and making us feel only what he feels-- not that that would have been a bad movie, just a different one. But I admired how Levine gave us the full circumference of the impact of Adam's disease; I, frankly, think it's a hard thing to consider not only his own reaction but those of the people he's surrounded by, and each one feels totally natural.

As good as JGL is here, I actually might consider Rogen's performance "better", only in the sense that Rogen hasn't been this good in a long time, whereas JGL is just building on his past successes with each new release.

How appropriate, watching this movie the day after we got the one year 'all clear' about my mother's cancer.

You have no idea how emotionally spot on this movie is. Of course I know it's based on real events but still, this doesn't seem Hollywood-ized in the slightest. Reiser and Rogen should be getting props heaped upon them with dump-trucks for this.