Katherine: .....I have to tell you what you're going through is completely normal for someone in your situation...
Adam: Sorry, I just have to call you on this...that's just bullshit. That's just what everybody has been saying, "you'll feel better", "don't worry, this is all fine"...I don't why everybody is just fucking scared to say, "you know, you're dying dude"...it makes it worse that no one will just say it
Katherine: Adam, I'm just trying to help you...I'm just trying...
Adam: Why? So thirty years from now you can say at a cocktail party how you helped your third patient feel normal right before he died?
Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer at the young age of 27 and his life seems to fall apart. When the news is disclosed to him by his doctor, the background number, High & Dry by Radiohead seems apt and gets one instantly hooked. He doesn't want his mother's (Angelica Houston) constant advice when she suggests she wants to move in with him. Nor does he like his best buddy Kyle's (Seth Rogen) casual outward appearance. He gives his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas-Howard) the chance to bail out, yet deep inside he wants her to stay. And she says she wants to fight it out with him.
As time passes, Rachael has second thoughts about "mixing the two worlds" - the cheerful world outside and the grim world in a hospital that stinks of death. Kyle wants to cheer him up and gives an example of the actor Patrick Swayze, who apparently died of cancer. When Adam points that out, the best Kyle can do is ask him to look at the bright side. "What's the bright side here?", asks Adam. Kyle loves the new opportunity of hitting on gullible ladies who fall for a sad story where he has to live with a friend who'll eventually die of cancer. Rachael has already started cheating on him. And the fact that his counselor, Katherine (Anna Kendricks) is actually an intern on her third case, doesn't help to do things better either. He manages to make a few friends at the hospital who are all diagnosed with cancer. When Adam finally breaks up with Rachael, he yearns for someone to love when he watches his cancer-mate, Mitch, still going strong with his wife at one of their family meet-ups. Only to know the same evening that Mitch died too. His interactions with his counselor, Katherine, who is 3 years younger than him, starts off with the usual non-acceptance and moves on to one of trust and friendship.
The story is based on the real-life account of Will Reiser. The movie is well-balanced when it comes to comedy and drama, with a slight inclination towards the former - something that should be expected with Seth Rogen around. Director Jonathan Levine never lets the movie go haywire and it seems he has absolutely no confusion on how things should end, as is usually the case with movies on such topics. A great feel-good movie that is supported by great acting by everyone in the cast. The background songs selection for this movie is awesome too.
Rating - 7.5/10
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