[Things Fall Apart screened at this year's Atlanta Film Festival.]

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson can’t act.  It’s not a slam against his character; it’s just something he can’t do.  But his lack of acting ability is an absolute killer in the Mario Van Peebles drama Things Fall Apart where Jackson takes on the role of a football player who gets cancer.  Jackson seriously committed to making a full-on physical transformation for the role, but he apparently couldn’t be bothered to take an acting lesson, which makes all of his hard work seem like a waste.  Even if the film didn’t hinge on Jackson’s performance, it would still be beset by maudlin clichés, irritating supporting characters, and poor direction.

Like Christian Bale (The Machinist) and Tom Hanks (Castaway) before him, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has shed some serious pounds for his upcoming film Things Fall Apart.  In the film, Jackson plays a star running back in his senior year of college who is diagnosed with cancer.  Mario Van Peebles (Damages) is directing, and cast himself alongside Jackson, Ray Liotta, and Lynn Whitfield.

Normally weighing in at 214 pounds, the rapper is often seen shirtless and rather ripped at his shows.  After nine weeks of a liquid diet and three hours on the treadmill each day, Fitty shed 54 pounds to achieve middleweight status at 160 pounds.  Jackson promised fans, “I’ve been eating.  I’ll be back in shape in no time!”  Check out some pics of the weight loss after the jump.