MOVIE REVIEW - 50/50

It's not often that a drama comedy involves a young adult facing the challenges of cancer. But that's the plot of the new Seth Rogen flick, 50/50.

50/50 stars Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anna Kendrick in this overall very well done story of 26 year-old Adam (Levitt) and his best friend Kyle (Rogen). Adam is diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer, and the outlook is marginal at best. Or 50/50 on survival. This basically is Adam's story as he weaves in and out of various phases of the disease. How he deals with it all, and how those around him deal with him too. It's tough at times, as his age is making it hard for his girlfriend, mother and others to try to be supportive.

This is an honest look at an illness that luckily we don't equate with young adults very often. They skillfully sew in some real nice humor, and some really heart touching moments. It accurately shows the difficulty people in their 20's would have coming to terms with this whole thing. Levitt is very good, Rogen may be a bit too "Rogeny" for me in this one. But Kendrick is simply fantastic. She is Adam's therapist in training Katherine, who takes a special interest in Adams sad case.

Kendrick is stunningly good in this movie, as she was in 2009's George Clooney flick, Up In The Air, where she was Oscar nominated. She may be a bit limited in her roles that she could really pull off. But she is the queen of screen vulnerability. She is so personal with her role, hard not to feel her emotions on screen. And feel them deep. She may be Hollywood's most underrated star. It's hard to put into words just how badly this movie needed her in it. As popular as our main stars are, this does not work without her. She is the element this movie needed to be better than it probably has a right to be.

50/50 does not skate away unscathed. There are a few horrible decisions made in this movie that prevent it from being totally above the fray. But they are not deal breakers. For some reason there are quick and "sore thumby" moments of really terrible profanity. And there's a scene or two that really don't work. This movie need none of this. But it's all OK. What Rogen screws up, Kendrick and the story smooth it over.

50/50. Thanks to Anna Kendrick......very good.