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Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann

Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann star in this seriously funny film from writer-director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up). When famous comedian George Simmons (Sandler) is gi...( read more  read more... )ven a second chance at a new beginning, he and his assistant, a struggling comedian, Ira (Rogen), return to the places and people that matter most…including the stand-up spots that gave him his start and the girl that got away (Mann). Co-starring Jonah Hill, Eric Bana and Jason Schwartzman, it’s the film critics cheer is “uproariously funny!” (Sonny Bunch, The Washington Times)

Flixster Users

58% liked it

745,188 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

207 critics

R, 2 hrs. 16 min.

Directed by: Judd Apatow

Release Date: July 31, 2009

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DVD Release Date: November 24, 2009

Stats: 19,094 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (19,094)

  • mrpopcorn
    November 18, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "I'm gonna put glasses on your ass so when I fuck you it looks like you're giving me a blowjob"

    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 performe...( read more)r under his wing as his opening act.

    REVIEW

    "Funny People" paints a life-like portrait of the stand-up comedy scene, the cast members all succeed at the difficult task of playing a character so close to their own persona without playing themselves entirely. Nuance is the keyword here as this is neither a laugh-out-loud comedy all the time, neither is a mature drama all the time.

    This can't be compared with Knocked Up or Superbad at all, all of them are great in very different ways. Superbad captured the bromance, Knocked Up was about people stepping up to the task when life hands them a challenge and falling in love with somebody after a slowly growing friendship, Funny People shows how comedy routines are born and deconstructs the myth of "the one that got away" as well as the "purifying quality" of a near-death experience. For a comedy, it's a quite stunning piece of work that, so it appears, is not appreciated in it's own time. Just look at the scene where Sandler's character completely bombs on stage with his "dark material" because death is on his mind. Big thumbs up for this film, it's more than just another comedy.
  • kiriyamakazou
    November 14, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    I'm a fan of Apatow's films. For me, he strikes the right balance between heart and humour. Here however, he takes a different approach. This is really a drama about comedians for the most part. There are hilarious lines and funny moments, but none of the strictly comedy scenes. ...( read more)It handles death in a fairly bittersweet way. Sandler's stages of grief are played out nicely, and Rogen is his likable self. There are some stand out moments, sch as the Eminem/Ray Romano stand-off and any scene involving Eric Bana. Fortunately, this is mostly underplayed, though it does run a bit long and takes a few unnecessary detours.
  • PvtCaboose91
    October 8, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "You're not funny. You look funny, but you're not funny." [I could say the same thing to the movie]


    The drama-comedy Funny People is Judd Apatow's third outing as a writer-director, and it stars both Seth Rogen and Adam Sandler. This should be a funny mov

    ...( read more)ie, right? Of course, the problem with expectations is they occasionally lead to disappointment - and Funny People is disappointing on numerous levels. It has been suggested that this flick is the final entry in Judd Apatow's comic trilogy about sex (2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin), birth (2007's Knocked Up) and now death (or at least the threat of death). In this regard, the movie is a blatant attempt on Apatow's part to display maturity as a filmmaker, and the product is more of a drama (an uncomfortable one at that) than a comedy. There's one crucial hindrance with Funny People: it's neither funny nor touching - it's grim. Even Apatow and Sandler devotees will find their attention spans challenged, as the film wears out its welcome long before the excessive 150-minute runtime has elapsed.


    Central to the story is a comedian named George Simmons (Sandler). After spending his career making asinine comedy movies for the masses, George has become self-absorbed and emotionally stunted. Towards the beginning of the movie, he's diagnosed with a rare blood disease. Upon learning about his impending doom, George basically just continues to indulge in his usual self-centred activities (except with a much darker attitude) rather than embarking on some form of spiritual journey or attempting to right his past wrongs. George eventually stumbles upon a makeshift comedic soul mate in the form of struggling stand-up Ira Wright (Rogen); taking the inexperienced funny man into his life for jokes and companionship.


    This is, however, just one half of the narrative. George pursuing his estranged early love Laura (Mann) constitutes the other half. The notion seems to be that Funny People is a two-hander between George and Ira, but George's story eventually overwhelms Ira's. By combining what should have remained two separate stories into one movie of extreme length, a lot of potential is wasted. The relationship between Ira and George was a self-contained narrative in itself, and the first half which explores this is quite entertaining. But instead of concentrating on this narrative thread, the film pursues something more hackneyed, with George trying to reconnect with Laura while Ida is held in reserve. Exploring the deep rituals of the comedy circuit would've also made the film far more compelling.


    Judd Apatow's movies (even those he produces) are frequently crippled by their needlessly long runtimes and general self-indulgence. Funny People is no different - it meanders around a number of plotlines before seemingly ending at random; aware it has exhausted its audiences' tolerance for Apatow's trademark excess. Believe it or not, the running time of Funny People exceeds the extended editions of both The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up by around 10 minutes, and there's more that could have been added. Some connective tissue appears absent (like the explanation of why Laura, who is irritated and dismissive during earlier conversations with George, agrees to see him upon learning he's dying - and it's a mystery as to how she even finds out about his condition since there's no public announcement). Much like the films of Quentin Tarantino, Funny People is a movie in desperate need of discipline.


    Disappointment is imminent on the comedy front. The stand-up sequences, with their poor lighting and an air of flop-sweat, admittedly possess an air of authenticity (the actors themselves even wrote their own material, and it was all filmed in front of a live crowd). But the on-stage routines aren't funny or in the least bit memorable. In fact, some of them are excruciatingly unfunny. Pretty much the only funny parts of the entire movie were shown in the trailers (maybe 5 or 6 lines in a 2½-hour movie), none of which are genuinely hysterical. Unfortunately, too, the dialogue never crackles with any wit. Funny People is an audacious movie that provides a few entertaining moments, but as a whole it's tragically flat.


    Adam Sandler as George Simmons is a stroke of genius. The actor is in top form with this low-key performance, and this is perhaps the most lived-in work of his career. Sandler has already proved he's a capable dramatic actor (Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me), and he flexes these chops capably here. Suitably, the character of George Simmons is a famous comedian who has long sacrificed his edge for awful movies made purely for money. With Sandler having starred in a number of awful movies made purely for the box office returns over recent years, it's clear he's having a little fun at the expense of his own career.


    As with every Apatow movie, the cast gives the film a class-reunion sensibility, which makes the film a lot more fun for them than it is for an audience. As Ira Wright, a slimmed down Seth Rogen is in familiar territory; playing a poorly-masked version of his usual self. Leslie Mann (Apatow's wife) is also in familiar territory playing Laura, though she's still endearing. As Clarke, Laura's Australian husband, Eric Bana steals the show. Meanwhile the two offspring of Mann and Apatow play the children of Laura and Clarke, and Jason Schwartzman and the agonisingly unfunny Jonah Hill play Ira's wisecracking friends/roommates (a staple ingredient in Apatow films). A bunch of real celebrities (playing themselves) are given small cameos too, and they're fun to watch (Ray Romano's cameo is one of the film's most amusing moments).


    In the case of Funny People, there's simply too much here for one movie. The plotting is unruly and flabby, as what seems to be a straightforward tale of morality and redemption becomes bogged down by unnecessary characters, formula and outright schmaltz. This isn't an inherently uninteresting or gruelling film (in fact the first hour is great), but the indefensible length turns a bold experiment into something that too often feels like an endurance contest.
  • mistershinobi
    October 4, 2009
    mistershinobi
    Apatow's misunderstood masterpiece.
  • rebvodka042099
    September 29, 2009
    rebvodka042099
    This movie's title is misleading since there's nothing funny about these people. The "jokes" included in it are sexist comments that are disparaging to women and make the characters look like uneducated misogynists. The greatest part of the script is compiled of the word "fuck" a...( read more)nd all of its forms, and the attempt to include any tragic elements is the only funny thing about it. Judd Apatow manages in 146 minutes to prove that Hollywood comedy has cheap humor but costs a lot. Poor Jason Schwartzman because he is actually talented. And the fact that the movie tried to present death with a hint of humor is just a flame-out for there can be no humor in death. And neither is there any humor in this movie either. And shouldn't Jonah Hill's 15 minutes of fame be over by now?
  • jfd78
    November 22, 2009
    jfd78
    Apatow delivers another great, real, gritty, funny story!
  • Princeamor
    November 21, 2009
    Princeamor
    LOVED This movie. Even though it was long I didn't want it to end. Adam Sandler is pure genius! This movie really showed the skills Judd Apatow has of directing.
  • farmerjesus1
    November 21, 2009
    farmerjesus1
    I want so much to love this film. Its great seeing Adam Sandler in a movie that isn't retarded (typically anything from his own production company 'Happy Madison' falls into this category). Its got an awesome supporting cast and the subject matter has so much potential. Unfortuna...( read more)tely its seriously bloated at 2 and a half hours. The story really runs out of steam and almost feels like its half way into its own sequel before it just gives up. The secondary characters are really under developed which is a pity considering the running time Apatow had to work with. I still highly recommend this film, but it really feels like it was one script rewrite away from excellence.
  • wudrich
    November 21, 2009
    wudrich
    Lots of good jokes, pretty funny, interesting story. Definitely worth seeing.
  • dreadinny
    November 21, 2009
    dreadinny
    First of all, this is not a comedy. It is a drama with funny lines interjected. The film centers on the dark side of comedians. The loneliness and soul searching that happens in their personal lives. If you can stand an unnecessary amount of penis jokes and not laughing at every ...( read more)scene, you might enjoy it.

View All Funny People Reviews

Critic Reviews

August 29, 2009
Nigel Andrews, The Financial Times

Sandler has gained dramatic weight and variety. But if I want to see him play Hamlet, I'd rather have Shakespeare as the scriptwriter. full review

August 17, 2009
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness

In its home stretch, Funny People's action drags so unnecessarily that it ... drains any impact from its refreshingly pragmatic view of second chances. full review

August 3, 2009
Kurt Loder, MTV

The film's sweet conclusion finally returns us to the world of funnyman camaraderie. By this time, though, we're wondering why we ever had to leave. full review

July 31, 2009
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

It's great that Apatow aimed for something more substantial than a disposable chucklefest. Too bad the film falls so short of the mark. full review

July 31, 2009
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Funny People is an ambitious, misshapen picture that feels like two, maybe even three, separate movies uncomfortably jammed into one. full review

July 31, 2009
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Funny People is a true brass ring effort, a reach for excellence that takes big risks. full review

July 31, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Funny People nimbly intersperses humor and reflection. It is a rumination on mortality, fame and life choices, punctuated with Apatow's trademark raunchy humor. full review

July 30, 2009
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

The denizens of Judd Apatow's Funny People have been pulled every which way to fit a misshapen concept, yet they remain painfully unfunny, and consistently off-putting. full review

July 30, 2009
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Apatow scores by crafting the film equivalent of a stand-up routine that encompasses the joy, pain, anger, loneliness and aching doubt that go into making an audience laugh. full review

July 30, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Funny People turns out to be fairly predictable, and not so rough. In a thoroughly satisfying way. full review

View more Funny People reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • eddob2004
    August 12, 2009
    eddob2004
    kul kul
  • sexylove490
    July 29, 2009
    sexylove490
    what do all these people have in common, they're all unfunny.
  • daperp730
    December 17, 2008
    daperp730
    First of all how does anyone HATE Adam Sandler, the guy is flat out hilarious just cause his movies don't get good ratings doesnt mean their really funny. His worst performances are Punch Drunk Love, Reign over me and Spanglish all not his role, but besides those he has a a whole slew of hilarious movies including his most recent movie Zohan (which many hated).
    this guy is a straight up genius, and I'm really excited to see him paired with Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill.
    His SNL skits are straight up out of the seats funny.
    So for all those Sandler Haters out there, you should respect such a comedian icon.
    this movie will be amazin! can't wait
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Funny People Trivia

  • Which 2 movies include a bunch of guys who hurt themselves to entertain people (but are really funny!!!!!)  Answer »
  • "Love Actually" gave us a series of inter-related peeks into the lives of different people preparing to celebrate the Christmas Holidays. While some of the stories were funny, some were sad, but all of them involved love in one of its many faces. Who played the newly elected British Prime Minister?  Answer »
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