Funny People

Let's just list the movies that Judd Apatow has either written, directed or produced, and you'll know why I was excited to see this movie. The movies are: Anchorman, The 40 Year-Old virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Drillbit Taylor, Pineapple Express, Step Brothers, and the announced Forgetting Sarah Marshall sequel: Get Him to the Greek. Yeah. Speaks for itself, doesn't it?

The story behind Funny People is different from any other film that Apatow has made. There is actually a credible and serious conflict in the story. The film is about the world of stand up comedy, mainly centered around comic icon George Simmons, played by Adam Sandler. We learn early into the film that he has a rare blood disease, a form of leukemia if you will. The disease is much too advanced to start things such as chemo or other techniques, so it's just a matter of time before George Simmons dies. He then asks a fellow comic, Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to begin to write jokes for him. Writing all his own material would be way too much for Simmons to handle while battling his disease, so that's why he basically hires a lifetime opening act in Ira to be his assistant. Here's something I have not done in a review and I don't plan on donig again, but I'm going to cut the summary short here. Having really enjoyed this film, I don't want to keep rambling on and then end up needing to say something that may spoil the experience for anyone that goes and sees this movie.

This film was 140 minutes long, but to me it didn't feel like it was a minute stretched out at all. The thing that separates this film from all the other Apatow creations is that it's a movie about funny people, not a movie with funny people. By that I simply mean that the jokes didn't seem scripted at all. It's ironic to me because that's all stand up comedy is is scripted jokes. This film also contains a really good story amidst all the vulgar comedy. There actually is something to follow along with besides waiting for next laugh out loud moment. Don't get me wrong there still are a ton of those moments, it's just now there's something in between that to keep you interested. With what I feel are the best performances by Sandler and Rogen to date, I have no problem naming this the best Judd Apatow film by far.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars In wide release right now. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24VVnvrjI8w

tRowe's 2 cents: "Definitely a drama about funny people and not a comedy with funny people. This film has surprisingly more depth than all previous Apatow productions. Worth seeing in theaters. 3 of 4 stars."