Funny People [DVD] [2009]

I'm not the type that cares too much for the likes of Judd Apatow vehicles like Superbad, Knocked Up etc. I think many people just seemed to jump on the bandwagon, though with close scrutiny they are hardly great films. However Funny People is a different beast, Apatow released a film that would not prove as popular (you just need to look at the box office figures), perhaps this was likely though given the subject matter of terminal illness, but it is easily his best film and if you give it a go you will find a profound and extremely funny drama.The story is pretty simple, Adam Sandler's George Simmons, a successful stand-up comedian and actor's life changes when he is diagnosed with a form of leukemia, he then takes on amateur stand-up Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) as his assistant and to help write jokes for him while he continues to struggle with his illness. It's all very personal stuff from Apatow and it's clear from the start that Simmons is the most human and believable character Sandler has ever played. What follows is a series of fantastic stand-up scenes full of dick jokes and some great moments in Ira's apartment with his roommates Jonah Hill (excellent in this and check out his recent film Cyrus) and Jason Schwartzman has some great lines as a slimy sitcom star trying to beat Ira to his crush Daisy, played wonderfully deadpan by newcomer Aubrey Plaza.It's refreshing to see a film where no shortcuts are taken, Apatow explores many dark corners and faces everything head-on but it is gladly never approached in a smug or self-indulgent way, examples are an emotionally crushing sequence where Ira tries to cheer up George by making him a iPod playlist and when George tries to salvage some kind of human connection by meeting with his estranged family members.Clocking in at around two and half hours however, Funny People slightly outstays its welcome which is a shame as it perhaps takes the gloss off what is an absolute treat. The final half hour is easily the weakest, where the duo visit George's ex-wife Laura (Leslie Mann, very good) whom he still has feelings for but is complicated by the fact she has kids with her new husband Clarke, played by a totally unrestrained Eric Bana (great seeing him in a role like this and it's obvious he had a blast with the material). However, the whole part just drags on and feels a bit forced.The final word has to go the performances of the central pair who are excellent. Seth Rogen is very impressive and it's good to see him a lot more dialled down and actually funny to watch. Adam Sandler is in absolutely superb, career-best, Oscar-worthy form as Simmons, mixing emotional weight and comedy to perfect effect, how he didn't at least get a nomination is beyond me. Maybe the Academy couldn't see beyond the dick jokes.Not many people caught Funny People at the cinema but if you are willing to give it a try you will not regret it, worth seeing alone for the stand-up scenes and a string of excellent cameos (James Taylor, Eminem, Ray Romano) but it is also a great drama. I have to say however, as good as he is in this I find it disappointing to see Adam Sandler continue to do rubbish like Bedtime Stories and Grown Ups, it's obvious he never learned anything from the experience of this film but viewers definitely can.

Funny People is about stand-up comedian/actor George Simmons (Adam Sadler) who learns he is dying of leukaemia and, obviously not feeling that in the mood to be funny, enlists the help of struggling comedian Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to help out with some of the material.With plenty of soul-searching and wondering where his life went wrong Simmons and Wright's exploits may not seem like the ideal source for a comedy movie. As with other Judd Apatow movies, it's quite long (over two hours). The first half manages to be pretty funny - helped along with various scenes of stand-up comedy and allowing the performers to be funny.However, the second half takes a more darker tone (cue the inclusion of Eric Bana). There's nothing wrong with this change, but, if you're expecting a straight happy-go-lucky comedy (ala 40 Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up) this may surprise you.I'm not much of a fan of Adam Sadler. Normally he annoys me, but I found him actually quite good at playing a more unlikeable character. His and Rogen's parts were written especially for them and it shows in their interaction, which does elevate the movie and carry it all the way through.All in all, not your average comedy, but certainly funny enough to get a fair few laughs in. Then, once you've stopped laughing, there's enough human emotion to finish it off with to make it so you actually care about the characters.Overall 4/5.

I thought I would have enjoyed the film more being Adam and I love him and his films but didn’t enjoy it that much.

'Funny People' is a masterpiece. A tender, profound, truly moving and deeply human story that has a great abundance of depths, it is also often indeed very funny. A story about a rich, successful, comic actor who has lost himself (or never found himself) it deserves to be a major global hit, and I suspect the only reason it isn't is that it is if anything too perceptive and subtle for the market at which it seems to have been intended. The script is witty, endlessly inventive, the direction and the story itself give you a sense of watching a slice of life more than a heavily plotted tale (though don't worry, there is plenty of story going on). The acting is wonderful: Adam Sandler is a joy to watch, very moving, compelling and funny too. Seth Rogen has a great chemistry with him and is perfectly convincing as an ambitious yet a genuinely caring employee and friend. Leslie Mann is the emotional core of the film just as she was in '17 Again' and her character in 'Funny People' is a deep and convincing portrayal of a woman who to some extent is as lost as the Sandler character. The supporting performances are wonderful: the two daughters of the Leslie Mann character (in fact Leslie Mann's kids in real life) are extremely accomplished young actresses, and the other support performances are all tremendously good.Well done to everyone concerned for making a truly remarkable movie that will repay repeated viewings.Eminem has a very good cameo in it by the way.