FLIX/Funny People is Both Accurate and Misleading

Photo by Tracy Bennett/Universal Pictures Funny People is the story of world renowned comedian George Simmons and how he copes with learning he has a disease that will probably kill him unless an innovative treatment succeeds.

While both comical and about humans, Funny People could use a little more of the former and less of the latter.  
 
Directed by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin), and opening on July 31, Funny People (Rated R) is the story of world renowned comedian George Simmons (played skillfully by Adam Sandler) and how he copes with life after learning he has a disease that will kill him unless an innovative treatment succeeds.  

Aside from Sandler, the film stars the always funny group of Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman and Leslie Mann and they don’t disappoint.  
 
The movie also features Eric Bana (was Paul Rudd not available?), an actor who has never been in a funny movie and who I like to call the Australian Corey Feldman because of their similar appearances.  It has nothing to do with acting ability.  Corey Feldman was never in Troy.

Photo by Tracy Bennett/Universal Pictures Judd Apatow took a risk in making a movie outside of his standard wheelhouse of buddy films relying on crass jokes and shocking humor. For venturing out like that, he should be commended.

Funny People also features about a dozen comedian cameos, as well as a great scene with a rapper threatening Ray Romano.  These are some of the funnier moments of the movie because it shows comedians comfortable in their own world of degeneracy and spitting out one-liners.  There is plenty of good material from the stand-up scenes for Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia to steal and claim as their own.

While Apatow took care of his friends by casting them in the movie -- Hill, Rogen and Mann are all frequent players in his projects -- Adam Sandler’s normal crew was noticeably absent.  
 
Granted I didn’t expect Shooter McGavin or Carl the Butler to show up, but I’m sure Rob Schneider could have stopped production of Deuce Bigalow Part V to play a stereotypical foreign guy from a non-descript country.  It’s the role he was born for.

So after learning he didn’t have much time to live, George decided to go back to his comedy roots.  After an impromptu appearance at a comedy club, George meets Ira (Rogen), a deli counter employee by day and aspiring comedian at night, and Leo (Jonah Hill), a struggling-but-staying afloat comic.  George was impressed by Ira and Leo enough to offer them a job writing jokes for his final appearances.  Only Ira accepts the gig, and in doing so reveals one of his character flaws.  

After a lifetime of success, fame, and all that follows, George had no friends.  By hiring Ira he was also paying for a friend, and he didn’t even have to pledge.  George confided in Ira about the illness and asked him not to tell anyone.  Of course, the first thing Ira did was tell Leo and their roommate Mark (Jason Schwartzman).  This is the second of Ira’s major character flaws.

After George lets the cat out of the bag about his illness, and in doing so let Ira off the hook for acting like a Real Housewife of Funny People by gossiping, he makes amends with Laura (a.k.a. “the one who got away”) played by Leslie Mann.

Photo by Tracy Bennett/Universal Pictures The inevitable confrontation was apparent, but the audience could actually drive from wherever they live to Marin County in California in the time it takes for the action to unfold.

The introduction of George’s desire to reunite with his long-lost love, even though she is married with children, is where the movie stopped being about comedy and started being about people.  Pickett’s Charge was a better decision - and didn’t last as long.

After performing a show in Laura’s hometown of Marin County, George and Ira set up camp in her house while her husband (Eric Bana) was away on business.  
 
We see the spark between George and Laura that was once there rekindled.  The inevitable confrontation was apparent, but the audience could actually drive from wherever they live to Marin County in California in the time it takes for the action to unfold.  During this time Ira commits his third, and final, violation of the “How to be a Friend” handbook.  

Unfortunately, Funny People is a tale of two movies.  The first half is excellent and lives up to its title.  However, the second act is painstakingly boring and makes the audience wish the credits rolled forty-five minutes earlier.  With a running time of 146 minutes, the movie is about a third longer than most comedies, which Funny People leads you to believe you’re going to see.

Judd Apatow took a risk in making a movie outside of his standard wheelhouse of buddy films relying on crass jokes and shocking humor.  For venturing out like that, he should be commended.  

However, like Michael Jordan trying to play baseball, David Caruso wanting to be anything other than a TV cop, and Larry King staying single, some things just aren’t meant to be.    

To contact the writer, email him at stevedettorre@yahoo.com