Adam, a 27-year-old public radio editor, discovers one day that the aches and pains that have been plaguing him signal a frightening reality: He has cancer, with a 50/50 shot of beating the odds. As he undergoes chemotherapy, Adam begins to confront his relationships and friendships, questioning whether they're satisfying and meaningful -- and, if not, what he needs to do about them. For example, is his girlfriend the right girl for him? Can his best friend deal with his illness? Should he trust his new therapist? And, this goes on.50/50 faces so many hurdles on its way to success. There are so many clichés that a movie about terminal illness has to skirt: How to handle the reveal without being over-dramatic? Should there be a transformation -- and, if so, how to make it believable? Far from being sappy and mawkish, the movie is unafraid to ask difficult questions: Does illness allow you to put yourself first all the time? How much can you ask of others when you're sick? And it's bold enough to mine the situation for hilarity without minimizing it or going for the easy jokes. That said, it's not perfect by any means; Adam's girlfriend turns needlessly villainous, and a storyline about Adam's father could have used more depth but instead peters out. But ultimately, it takes confidence to create a movie like this one, we can root for easily and without pity. When you see 50/50, be prepared to laugh and think.
