I’ve always hated the word “dramedy” (a movie combining both drama and comedy).  First of all, every time I watch a so-called dramedy, I end up disliking it. And second of all, a movie can either be a drama, with awkward comedy moments, or a comedy, with forced dramatic moments.  However, “50/50” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt who also starred in “500 Days of Summer” and “Inception” and Seth Rogen who also starred in “Knocked Up” and “Pineapple Express” convinced me that a good dramedy can indeed exist.

Written by Will Reiser, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, “50/50” is the real life tale of Reiser’s battle with cancer.  Rogen was by Reiser’s side the entire time, and after Reiser beat the disease, Rogen convinced Reiser to write a screenplay about it.

“50/50” centers around 27 year-old Adam Lerner (Gordon-Levitt) who learns that he has a rare form of spinal cancer.  Adam has a 50/50 chance of living and he is surprisingly calm about it.  His girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard) tries to be supportive, but ends up being the exact opposite. His overprotective mother (Anjelica Huston) won’t stop calling him, and only wants to talk about the bad things.  But then there is Adam’s best friend Kyle (Rogen), who lightens up the dark times by making jokes about uncomfortable topics, smoking a lot of medical marijuana, and using Adam’s illness as a way to pick up women. Although he seems like a terrible friend, he is one of the only people who stands by Adam’s side. Adam also has to go to a therapist (Anna Kendrick), who is very awkward, but surprisingly helpful in the end.

The acting in “50/50” is terrific. It makes the characters emotions seem extremely believable, making the movie even more realistic.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a great job of staying calm, yet still seeming very worried. He has that sweet little smile and those endearing eyes that make him enjoyable to watch.   Anna Kendrick and Anjelica Huston both are a wonderful addition to the cast.   Kendrick’s character is the awkward but loving therapist, and Huston’s character is the awfully devoted mother. But the surprisingly best performance was Rogen.  He made the movie more fun to watch than sad, with his dark, but charming humor.

I don’t know if it was the fact that the story was a real life tale, but “50/50” is both moving and very funny.   I am now a true believer in dramady’s, and odds are, you’ll love “50/50.”