Funny People (2009)

director: Judd Apatow

writer: Judd Apatow

starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann

genre: Comedy

R rated comedies are back and if you don’t know what that means, I'm talking about comedies were people actually curse and deal with real adult situations and themes. Apatow and a couple of other directors are doing well for the genre, bringing new material with great performers. Apatow now brings us another cute comedy even though its not as good as his other films, its still one of funniest films of the year.

Funny People is about two people, George Simmons (Adam Sandler) who is a famous comedian who’s lost the only meaningful thing in his life his ex-fiancée Laura and Ira (Seth Rogen) an aspiring stand up comic, who’s way to the top is taking longer than he'd hoped. They both meet at a stand up show. George interested in Ira's work and asks him to be his assistant. He accepts. Afterwards George tells Ira of his condition that he’s going to die. The whole film is the developing relationship between the two and their efforts to accomplish their goals of love and happiness.

I enjoyed Funny People. It’s got the actors i enjoy, a good enough story and the exact kind of humor that i love. The jokes are all very well done. Some are cameo jokes which are really knocked right out of the park and i wont spoil. Also the fact that film has to do with up and coming actors and stand up comedians also give a lot great scenes of comedic genius. The cast really with Apatow's filmaking is really what makes into a fun film.

As much i did enjoy the film there were a couple of mishaps. By the third act of the film your left a little bit tired by the way George is handling his life and the way the story doesn't manage to have a very good conclusion to his problems or to his old relationship with Laura. Everything by the end felt a bit rushed and mixed up. There were times were focus of the story was to George's sickness, then to the stand up and acting world, then to his romance and then to Ira's life. It seemed like at times that we forgot about all the story threads and suddnely go into this romance set up at the end where everything just dragged, got weird and not personally what i was wishing for from this film .Apatow now on his 3rd film does shows great talent and form. But not every movie you make is going to be as good as the last one. He is the James L. Brooks of our generation and not even he had all hit films.

My expectations were high for Funny People, after my love for 40 Year old Virgin and Knocked Up. I was rooting for this to be my favorite comedy of the year but I lucked out. Despite the faults i may mention, its still a very funny film with a touching story. Funny People may not make you go crazy but it’s a very well made film by one the best comedy writer-directors out there.

Personal Rating:

Review by Paul