DVD: 50/50 (15)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's slightly anal 27-year-old Adam is diagnosed with a "malignant tumour" in his spine in Jonathan Levine's mildly subversive "cancer comedy".

Adam informs his vile, selfish girlfriend, Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard, who does vile well, also see The Help), who promises not "to bail" (she ends up cheating on him), his fragile mother (Anjelica Huston) and his foul-mouthed best pal, Kyle (Seth Rogen). And Rogen, who can sink a lot of films (see The Green Hornet) with his slobby shtick, is actually acceptable here; but it's the always convincing Levitt who lends this sentimental, quite sweet tale some authenticity.