3. 50/50
When 50/50 first came out, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What was first thought to be a “cancer comedy” ended up being so much deeper and much more moving than I think anyone could have predicted. For those who haven’t seen it, Gordon-Levitt’s character Adam is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer which leaves him with a roughly 50% chance of survival. Not exactly the lightest subject, right?
Gordon-Levitt is faced with the task of showing all the generic stages of denial, frustration, fear and finally acceptance, which is something many actors have done before. What’s so impressive about Gordon-Levitt’s performance though is how subtly his imperfection in the process is shown, making him a vulnerable character who gains the audience’s sympathy while still avoiding coming across as a hopeless, passive victim.
Most Impressive Scene: The moment before going under for surgery was phenomenal. Gordon-Levitt’s sudden panic at the terror of realizing he may never wake up again was flooring. His tears and complete vulnerability at this thought were enough to leave many viewers with tears streaming down their own cheeks. If that wasn’t impressive, I don’t know what is.
Click below to continue reading.
