Funny People (2009)

Director:

Judd Apatow

Writer (WGA):

Judd Apatow (written by)

Release Date:

31 July 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

George Simmons was prepared to die, but then a funny thing happened.

Plot:

When seasoned comedian George Simmons learns of his terminal, inoperable health condition, his desire to form a genuine friendship cause him to take a relatively green performer under his wing as his opening act.

Plot Keywords:

Comedian | Stand Up Comedian | Stand Up Comedy | Womanizer | Woman On Top

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Sept. 3	7:30 PM	MAX
Wed. Sept. 8	2:05 PM	MAX
Sat. Sept. 11	4:45 PM	MAX

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Adam Sandler	...	George Simmons
Seth Rogen	...	Ira Wright
Leslie Mann	...	Laura
Eric Bana	...	Clarke
Jonah Hill	...	Leo Koenig
Jason Schwartzman	...	Mark Taylor Jackson
Aubrey Plaza	...	Daisy
Maude Apatow	...	Mable
Iris Apatow	...	Ingrid
RZA	...	Chuck
Aziz Ansari	...	Randy
Torsten Voges	...	Dr. Lars
Allan Wasserman	...	Dr. Stevens
Rod Man	...	Himself
Wayne Federman	...	Comedy & Magic Manager

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality.

Runtime:

146 min | 153 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45381) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | UK:15 | Australia:MA | Ireland:16 | Singapore:M18 | New Zealand:R16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Finland:K-13 | Ireland:15 (video rating) | Sweden:7 | Mexico:B15 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Ireland:18 (blu-ray) | UK:18 (blu-ray) | Malaysia:18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles International Airport - 1 World Way, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Everybody Loves Raymond is mentioned in "40 Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up," and finally in "Funny People." In "40 Year Old Virgin," Paul Rudd (David) has a tape of it in the box of porn he gives to Andy. Andy later watches after the box of porn fails him. In "Knocked Up," Paul Rudd (Pete) mentions to Ben that "marriage is like a tense, unfunny version of Everybody Loves Raymond, only it doesn't last 22 minutes. It lasts forever." Finally, 'Ray Romano' appears as himself and the object of Eminem's disdain in "Funny People."

Goofs:

Continuity: When George enters Ira's house for Thanksgiving dinner, he points out to Leo that they have the poster for his movie "Re-Do" (the baby movie) hanging on the wall. During the scene while George and Leo are discussing the movie, the poster behind Leo switches from "Re-Do" to another film.

Quotes:

George Simmons:My balls are for everyone.

Movie Connections:

References "Two Drink Minimum" (1994)

Soundtrack:

All The King's Horses

Funny how? What, am I here to amuse you?

A very strange movie in a way and you have to wonder who will end up enjoying it most but I hope that fans do make their way to it and give it a try. Let's be clear though, this is just as much of a drama as it is a comedy. It may not please the Apatow fans hankering after more ribald laughs and it may not please the Adam Sandler fans wanting nothing more than some comedic anger and silly voices. It may not please many people, actually, but it walks it's own path and does so with confidence.

Comedian George Simmons (played by Sandler) finds out that he has a terminal illness and decides to take on young, struggling comic Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) as an assistant who will help him come up with material, provide him with company and be a safely distanced friend he can share details of his illness with. Seeing behind the laughs, we have friendly rivalry developing into outright competitiveness, the anger and pain of dealing with an illness that will kill or be cured, a look at the false grin celebrities can try to wear at all times and strained sympathy for a man who was really a bit of a jerk to begin with but has been cut some slack since becoming ill.

The star of the show here is Adam Sandler, in a great central performance that doesn't even let him twist his angry man-child persona as Punch-Drunk Love did. It's his best performance since his criminally overlooked turn in the wonderful Spanglish and that's something to enjoy, even if you normally hate the guy (as some do). Seth Rogen doesn't really stretch himself as Ira but it's a decent turn from him if you like his patter, as I do. Then we have the rest of the cast, a veritable who's who of up and coming comic stars including Jason Schwartzman (who's actually a veteran now, I suppose), Jonah Hill, Leslie Mann (a regular in Apatow's movies, helped by the fact that she's his wife and they have a good working relationship) and Aubrey Plaza alongside Eric Bana and a whole host of people appearing as themselves - such as Paul Reiser, Sarah Silverman, Eminem, Ray Romano, etc, etc.

Writer/director Judd Apatow walks a thin line here, treading ground similar to that in Punchline but mixing it through with a sprinkle of As Good As It Gets and while the whole thing may feel a little overlong and too uneven in tone occasionally it's a great film to watch thanks to all of the performances and, yes, there ARE also lots of great one-liners and pieces of comedic dialogue.

I enjoyed this film though even as I was watching it I was thinking of how hard it made it to actually love the damn thing. And maybe that's all I can really use to sum up my overall feeling for it.

See this if you like: Punchline, As Good As It Gets, Swimming With Sharks.