Film/TV Sep 28, 2011 at 4:00 am

50/50 Is a Cancer Comedy That Will Kill You

“Does this cancer make me look fat?” Chris Helcermanas-Benge

Comments

1
I'd been interested in this since I heard it was inspired by the screenwriter's actual battle against cancer. Glad to hear it's as good as it looked.
2
survivor here. there are so many forms of cancer nowadays and treatment and survivorship rates are higher that the former stark divide between "has cancer" and "nope, doesn't have cancer" is reduced. as a survivor people often look at me inquiringly asking "and how's your health?" meaning, of course, "um, has your cancer come back yet?" fortunately not. But part of my thought process is "well, you're 53 years old too, and we're all kind of in the same boat now, in that a heart attack or cancer or anything could take anyone of us any year now." I welcome more discussion of cancer, I welcome this movie, I welcome this article, everyone should just talk about cancer, heat attacks, disease and life and death more. This may require the healthy (meaning, you don't yet know what disease or accident will knock you off) to realize they are also mortal.

Then we can all laugh together.
3
@2 Thanks for posting that comment, it's wonderful.

As a former caregiver to a terminal patient, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment that talking about illness more is a good thing. I am and have always been healthy and active about maintaining that health.

Providing support for someone who was terminal changed my perspective on that health permanently. The experience was a constant reminder of mortality, and even little things that are taken for granted (like the commute to and from the patient's home, where you can be a random road fatality) became a matter of mortality reminders.

It helps you appreciate your life by reminding you that this thing has a deadline. Literally.
4
Seth Rogen. That's the fastest way to say: "Don't see this movie". Robin Williams. Takes longer to say, but has the same effect.

Please wait...

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