Monday, August 3, 2009
Adam Sandler as George Simmons and Seth Rogen as Ira in "Funny
People", directed by Judd Apatow. The film opened last Friday.
(Photo: Universal Pictures)
MOVIE REVIEW
Funny People
Apatow's Sea Change: Shepherding A Funny Man Away From Death's Door
By
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
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Monday, August 3, 2009
The ironically-titled "Funny People" represents a slight diversion from the
usual for director Judd Apatow ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin",
"Knocked Up") -- at
least in tone. The film, about a lonely comedian past his prime who is
fighting a visit from the grim reaper, echoes the sad and raw undercurrent of
Martin Scorsese's "The King Of Comedy". Mr. Apatow adroitly pays homage to
that film (one character in the comedy director's third effort wears a t-shirt
with SCORSESE imprinted on it) but ultimately falls victim to Hollywood formula
and the type of trademark juvenile male sexual dialogue that littered his first
two films.
Sometimes during "Funny People" it appears that Mr. Apatow is uncertain
of
the type of film he wants -- funny or serious. He attempts to mix the two
but does so in a way that feels forced and orchestrated, with numerous cameos from (or
mentions of) many of America's most prominent comedians, as well as a number of
characters (played by Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman, for example) who don't
necessarily advance the narrative as much as celebrate it or give "Funny
People", a sometimes mordant and bogged-down film its own comic relief.
The film's principal character
George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is a famous funny man who gets some unwelcome news
about his health. Lonely and forlorn, he seeks out some comics (including
one played by Seth Rogen) to write him some material to populate what will be
his last hurrahs. The film remains serious as Mr. Sandler becomes
ever-more dependent on Mr. Rogen's Ira character, becoming repellent as well as
rewarding to his subordinate. Mr. Rogen doesn't do anything markedly
different than he has in prior films but it is his Ira that seems more
poignant in some respects than Mr. Sandler's acidic portrayal. One of these
two onscreen characters is running away from himself. The other is trying
to make sure that women stop running from him. Some of the proceedings are
funny but they are often stale.
"Funny People" works when more realistic tensions (among competing and
self-loathing
comedians) and the relationship between Mr. Sandler and Mr. Rogen are front and
center, but unfortunately when too many additional characters spoil the broth and a
tacked-on extraneous subplot regarding Simmons' former sweetheart (Leslie Mann, Mr. Apatow's wife) and a
needless twerp played by Eric Bana, the film derails and doesn't
know when to end. It's at this point where indulgence takes over
and a film which could have ended at the hour and 45 minute-mark plows on
stubbornly for almost another hour.
Copyright 2009. Omar P.L. Moore. The Popcorn Reel. PopcornReel.com. All Rights Reserved. SHARE