Rob Calvert posted on July 31, 2009
Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogan, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill
After a 3-week hiatus from reviews, we now return with FUNNY PEOPLE. The latest from comedy kingpin, Judd Apatow. Here we have the story of George Simmons (Sandler) an wildly successful comedian/actor who has just found out that he has a fatal disease. Faced with his own demise, George decides to take on an assistant (Rogan) who is an unknown aspiring comic. This relationship evolves into something resembling the closest thing that Simmons has ever had to a real friendship.
FUNNY PEOPLE is really two different movies. The first half is genuinely hysterical and, at times, touching. There are moments where it just extremely cool to see Sandler and Rogan drop the schtick and really act. As their relationship becomes more clearly defined their comic sensibilities and sensitivities shine through. The second half becomes a more dramatic tale of attempting to retrieve a love that has been lost. This is where the movie severely slows down and could have really used some help in the editing room.
FUNNY PEOPLE clocks in at 2 hours and 20 minutes. Way too long for a comedy. Way too long for this drama. I can’t help but think how brilliant this movie would have been if there had been more of an effort to make the latter part of the story more tight. Don’t get me wrong – FUNNY PEOPLE has some great moments and the growth of Seth Rogan as something beyond what you have seen him as countless times is noticeable. There will be moments where you do wish it would hurry past the drama and get back to the funny.
3 guitars on this one!(Out of 5 guitars)