Must see: 50/50

So I really liked 50/50. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as a 27-year old guy named Adam who gets the short straw in life - cancer. And it's one of those unpronounceable types of cancer too, so it's difficult when he tries to explain it to other people.

Adam's best friend and co-worker is Kyle (Seth Rogan), a rogue of a character who's every angle is to somehow get laid. Upon hearing the news that Adam has cancer, Kyle immediately wants to go out and play that trump card for a sympathy fuck. It's in Adam's best interest, of course.

The summary is basically all you get out of the synopsis/summary of the movie, so there aren't any spoilers here. This movie often makes light of a serious life-threatening disease, but it's mainly a defense mechanism. You didn't really want to get all depressed and sad-like did you? Of course not, so the best defense is to use humor to lighten the mood. This movie is a comedy after all.

Worse would be if you just numb yourself to your pain, and not *feel* anything or let yourself feel the emotional rush that would inevitably occur were you to be hit with a bombshell of news like cancer. Would you feel angry at the world for pulling such a dick move at your young age? Would you feel helpless in your impending doom and lapse into a depressive stupor? Would you look on the bright side? After all, fifty-fifty would be the best odds in a casino!

I don't know how I'd react. The characters in this movie all play their emotions and feelings quite convincingly. We don't get to see much of Angelica Huston though. I think her character could have been built upon more. I suppose it alludes to the parental relationship between Adam and his mother. Which is to say.... practically none.

All in all, I found myself identifying with Adam a lot -- his personality felt familiar -- in all his awkwardness with girls as well as his adherence to so many rules, to his rage against the world for dealing him such a shitty hand in life.

No, I don't have cancer, but I do have my temper tantrum moments. You just won't see them often.