Summary: Adam is a 27 year old guy working for an NPR-like organization when he finds out that his back pain is a result of a tumor on his spine. It's a large tumor, growing around many of his vertebrae. He undergoes chemotherapy, meeting some great characters in treatment. His best friend, Kyle, is also a big presence, trying to be supportive in a roundabout way. Adam's girlfriend is the classic passive-aggressive girlfriend who makes the situation all about herself. And Adam's mother is the hovering, worrying mother who Adam hardly ever calls back. He also starts seeing a therapist, Katherine, who is 24 years old and still working on her doctorate. He is her third patient.
OaTs: Based on the life of screenwriter Will Reiser, I'd have to say that, not having ever had cancer myself, it was a very realistic portrayal of how a young man would cope with the diagnosis. At first, he seems to be handling it well, but as a chemo friend dies, and he gets further information from the doctor about his condition, he breaks down a little at a time. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Adam, is absolute superb in this role. I wish it was a more realistic expectation for him to be nominated for an Academy Award come next year.
I really think Seth Rogan was cast well as the best friend. He had a great mix of humor and support going on. Sometimes you can't tell if he really is trying to help or if he is trying to use this to get girls. There's a great moment before Adam goes in for surgery that helps flush out Rogan's character and I really liked what I saw. I think it's natural for a best friend to want to take your mind off of everything, and for that to both help and hurt the one diagnosed. It was a really great dynamic.
I also really liked Angelica Huston as Adam's mother. While taking care of Adam's father who has Alzheimer's, she doesn't have many people to talk to. You can understand her need to talk to her son so often, but Adam is also completely justified in wanting to ignore her. They come to an understanding and it's a great moment to see.
Anna Kendrick played Katherine, the therapist. You can tell that she is trying really hard, but she's not all that great at her job yet. She is still trying to find the best ways to relate and support her patients, but it doesn't come across as helpful in the beginning. She would have made a great girlfriend of a cancer patient, which Adam also sees, but as a therapist, I don't think she was quite ready for what she got herself into.
Adam's girlfriend, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, was absolutely horrible. Not in a villainous kind of way, but in a "let's make this all about me" kind of way. She wouldn't even go into the hospital to wait for him, insisting on waiting in the car because she doesn't like hospitals. Adam's chemo buddies get this, but don't push the issue with Adam.
His buddies, by the way, were one of my favorite parts of the film. The ate pot-macaroons and shared frustrations. When one passes away, it's a real eye opening moment for Adam, where I think he finally realized that there a chance he may not beat this. There are a couple more moments in the film where you can really feel Adam's frustration and fear. I don't want to spoil the moments for you, but up until that moment, I was questioning whether or not this movie would tug at my heartstrings. And it did. It really did. No tears, but some serious choking up.
Score: 8/10
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