Movie Review: Funny People

July 31, 2009 by Brendan
Filed under: Movie News, Movie Reviews

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Funny People is the third film directed by Judd Apatow and the first starring his one-time roommate Adam Sandler. I only mention that because a big part of the story revolves around comedians who are roommates and you wonder how much of that reflects the Apatow/Sandler experience. In fact, the beginning of Funny People starts with a video of a young Sandler making prank phone calls. I get the feeling that might be real footage from their younger days, as I once heard an interview with Mr. Apatow where he mentioned that Sandler used to be a virtuoso with the phone. He also mentioned that Sandler was obsessed with seeing Apatow’s wiener, which was also a running gag in the movie…

Along with Sandler, Apatow has added a couple of his favourites – Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill – who play the roommates, along with Jason Schwartzman. The story revolves around a famous comedian/movie star named George Simmons (Sandler) who has just found out he has a deadly blood disease. Despite Simmons’ success from the bad movies he has made, he lives in a beautiful house overlooking Los Angeles with no one to turn to in his time of need. He heads to a local comedy club to blow off some steam and that’s where he recruits an up-and-coming comic named Ira Wright (Rogen). George gets Ira to write him some material that he will use in his act and eventually Ira becomes his number one confidant as he struggles with the idea that his life may soon end. Simmons takes Ira on a road trip to meet his ex-girlfriend and his one true love, Laura (Leslie Mann), who is now married, with two beautiful daughters, to an obnoxious Australian named Clarke (Eric Bana). Funny People follows George and Ira around the L.A. comedy circuit and to Laura’s home where George feels he must finally make amends.

I’ve always been a fan of Adam Sandler, even if I haven’t like all his movies (hi there Zohan). Funny People has to be one of his finer moments. He really gives a heartfelt performance as a very isolated man who is going through a difficult time in his life. Despite all that, he manages to be funny, somewhat charming and yet still vulnerable. Sandler plays it perfectly.

Seth Rogen is the ideal Ira to Sandler’s George. The struggling stand-up is also funny yet naive. He does not take advantage of George and accepts his role as George’s protege of sorts. He listens intently as George pours out his soul to him.

Besides the great performances from Sandler and Rogen, the supporting cast is also excellent. Jonah Hill is funny, as always. People laughed the minute he appeared on the screen and he hadn’t even said anything yet! It seems to be par for the course for Jonah. The same thing happened in Night at the Museum 2. Jason Schwartzman, as the somewhat successful sitcom star, is somewhat decent. Leslie Mann is charming in her own way and as a result, you can see why George is heartbroken over the loss of Laura. Then there’s Eric Bana who, despite being an over-the-top Aussie version of George (or so says Laura), really seemed awkward in the movie. I understand why this character is in the movie – he seems like the type of guy that you just want to hate but he’s so damn nice – but I just never got into the whole obnoxiousness. He just didn’t do it for me.

Overall, I have to give Funny People a thumbs up. I laughed out loud many times throughout the movie. Most of the stand-up comedy was pure genius. It is a long movie, way too long, maybe even a bit painfully long. We’re talking 2 hours and 20 minutes for a comedy. That’s just wrong. If there was anything I would want cut out of the movie, the whole trip to Laura’s house just seemed to drag on and on. At one point, George and Ira are getting ready to leave the house and I was almost yelling at the screen for them to get in the car and drive away. They didn’t need to be there anymore. And yet they stayed and it eventually turned into one of the most strange fights on the front lawn of a house that I have ever seen in a movie.

Nevertheless, despite the length, the Eric Bana character and the really weird lawn fight, Funny People is a really good movie. Just one more thing – the editing in the movie was horrible. I don’t even pay attention to that continuity stuff too much but I don’t know how many times they changed angles on a character and he/she was holding a cup, then not holding the cup, then holding it again – or things like that (like hand positions etc.). It was really bad. Whoever edited this movie and put together the scenes should probably never be allowed to do that ever again in their entire life. But if you can get past these few gripes and sit back and enjoy the comedy and a few really good performances, I am sure you will leave the theatre feeling very satisfied. It is a fine addition to the growing legacy of Judd Apatow. (8 out of 10)

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