50/50

Realistically, I don't have much to complain about in my life.  That which bothers me would seem unimportant to others.  I was once told that you don't over-react.  You simply react, whether it seems like an over-reaction to others is inconsequential.  People feel the way they feel.  I always thought that was pretty wise, but I still try to keep calm.*  That being said, I know my problems aren't that bad.

I've been fortunate to not be touched by cancer.  I have known people that have been afflicted, but it's never ended badly.  Most have recovered.  Those that did not became ill after I moved away, so I was not present for the hardship that is watching someone waste away.  Because most people have lost a loved one to cancer, it's often used in films.

Now, all films are essentially manipulating you.  They want you to think and feel a certain way, and they are crafted with that end in mind.  Cancer is used more and more in cinema, and it is often used cheaply.  They use it to tug at your heartstrings without putting any real craft into it.  Like jump out scares, I don't appreciate filmmakers who are too lazy to earn the sobs.  50/50 earned every tear.

50/50 is the story of a man who is diagnosed with cancer.  You see him diagnosed, and you also see his treatment.  While that's at the center of the story, that's not what it's about.  It is focused on his journey, who he is, how he copes.  It is focused on  his relationships with others and how they deal with his illness.

No person is perfect.  No person is good all the time.  We all make choices that aren't always the best.  Maybe you don't call your mom back.  Maybe you pressure your friend into going out to drink because that's what you want to do.  Frankly, it often boils down to us not listening to each other.  Sometimes, you're listening, but you don't care.  That's what 50/50 shows you.  It shows those relationships.  It shows those choices.  The film doesn't paint one person as perfect and all others as flawed.  Each character has flaws.  Each character has redeeming characteristics.

The care put into the realistic characters makes the subject matter seem more realistic.  Having not been up close and personal with someone suffering from cancer, I don't know what it's really like, but I expect it is a lot like 50/50.  The attention to detail coupled with such amazing actors lends itself to realism.

50/50 is one of the better movies I've seen this year.  It takes a scary topic and humanizes it.  Some of the most heartbreaking moments aren't what I expected, and I appreciate the effort that went into making a film that could pull such emotional reactions from me.  50/50 is well worth your time.  Even though it exists around such a frightening topic, it has a great deal of humor, but it isn't forced.  Everything you feel is earned.  If you haven't seen 50/50 yet, go rent it.  It's only $1 in the Blockbuster Express box, so I imagine that's all the more it is in the Redbox, as well.

*And carry on.