Malignantly funny

“50/50” proves that being cynical and realistic in a bad situation doesn’t need to make you feel miserable.

Will Reiser’s screenplay is based on his true story of how he was diagnosed with cancer and learned to live through it.

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a 50/50 shot of survival from a rare form of the disease, and he learns that the healthiest people are the ones who avoid melodrama and address their problems head-on.

Seth Rogen’s Kyle provides Adam with the “knock yourself out of it and get laid” mentality that governs a lot of male friendships, demonstrating a less-depressing way of coping with cancer.

Rogen’s likeable performance makes for a witty, hilarious, memorable and well-rounded character in a deliciously quotable dark comedy. He’s as strong and funny as he’s ever been.

And thanks to charming work by Anna Kendrick and Anjelica Huston, “50/50” displays the sort of intelligence and grace that makes you forget about feeling bad.