Funny People Review
By Joe Lozito
Tragic Comic
Early in "Funny People" - the latest from comedy wunderkind Judd Apatow - comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is diagnosed with a terminal illness. After receiving the news, George's subsequent stand-up act takes a turn for the maudlin, causing an audience member to remark, "Wow, George Simmons is getting dark." The same might be said of Mr. Apatow. The writer-director of "
The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up" has been heralded as ushering in a new generation of feeling-man's comedy. One that has spawned such bro-friendly fare as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "
I Love You, Man". So audiences can be forgiven for feeling confused during "Funny People". This isn't the Judd Apatow we've come to know and love. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, "Funny People" isn't enough of a step in a new direction. If anything, it wanders around for a while flirting with deeper themes, occasionally dipping back into the familiar comedy trough (when in doubt, say "balls").
After receiving the devastating news of his illness, George hires young comedian Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to get him back on his stand-up comedy feet. Ira is at first star-struck by his new boss, but he soon comes to know the sad truth behind the comedian's clown mask. George is a mess, full of regret for his long lost love, Laura (Leslie Mann). Together George and Ira attempt to heal George both physically and emotionally, which proves to be a tall order.
"Funny People" is the very definition of a labor-of-love. It pays homage to struggling stand-up comics (the world in which Mr. Apatow and Mr. Sandler first toiled), Ms. Mann, the director's wife, plays Laura and her children in the film are played by the couple's real (adorable) children. Apatow regulars Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill are also on hand to round out the cast (no pun intended; Mr. Rogen's newly svelte physique is the subject of much ridicule). Mr. Apatow made his bones in "the industry" at the same time as his friend Mr. Sandler and the film opens with some priceless footage of the two making prank calls in their youth. That Mr. Apatow still has this footage, and is able to craft it into a film, makes him the luckiest film geek since Kevin Smith.
The cast is uniformly good. Mr. Sandler - though relying a bit too often on that low, gravelly "sad voice" - is a natural to play George, a slightly past-his-prime comedian grappling with a life spent playing the doofus. Mr. Rogen does some nice work playing a gullible loser, living on the couch of his more successful friend (Jason Schwartzman). Even Eric Bana is on hand, playing up his Aussie accent for all it's worth. Ms. Mann, always a welcome comedic presence, injects as much depth as possible into her role.
Mr. Apatow's script (and it's clear much of the film was improvised) has a lot of fun creating a past career for George. He's perhaps best known for the title role in "Mer-man", though many might remember him as the man who is magically reduced to an infant (still with Mr. Sandler's face) in "Re-do", and that's not to mention several romantic comedies all co-starring Elizabeth Banks. Props and posters from George's past gleefully adorn the film.
But "Funny People" is really two movies: one about an aging comedian rediscovering his roots, the other about a terminally ill man regretting his lost love. Together they make for one long, meandering mess of a film - though one that is by turns bittersweet (George and Laura's reunion is painfully well done) and raucously funny (the stand-up material is particularly great).
While it was brave of Mr. Apatow to venture outside expectations, he hasn't gone far enough. "Funny People" is too close to home for him; he lacks the perspective to make a truly interesting character piece. What's left feels confused and, worse yet, far too long. Like Quentin Tarantino, Mr. Apatow desperately needs an editor with big scissors. Mr. Apatow may not be getting too dark after all, but he has yet to see the light.
