Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cancer comedy 50/50 gets a trailer

The first trailer for cancer comedy 50/50 , starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, has landed online.

The film is loosely based on the real-life experience of screenwriter Will Reiser, as JGL's happy-go-lucky 27-year-old, Adam, is struck down in his prime by the big C.

It's not as grim as all that sounds though, with the comedic snarkiness bringing a refreshing edge to what could have been 'TV movie of the week' material.

While it may be too risky for awards season, it looks like it'll give Gordon-Levitt another boost on the path to becoming one of the most consistently impressive actors of his generation.

Seth Rogen is on hand to provide lowbrow support, and the impressive cast-list also finds room for Bryce Dallas Howard as Adam's girlfriend, Anna Kendrick as a counsellor and Anjelica Huston as the concerned mother.

Check out the trailer for yourself now:

— YouTube video

50/50 is released in the US on 30 September 2011, so hopefully we'll get confirmation of a UK release soon.

Matt Maytum is the former Editor of Total Film magazine. Over the past decade, Matt has worked in various roles for TF online and in print, including at GamesRadar+. Bucket-list-ticking career highlights have included reporting from the set of Tenet and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as covering Comic-Con, TIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.