Life Doesn't Have a Punchline

Funny People Raises the Bar for Comedy

After watching Funny People, I heard a man in the theater say that the title was very misleading. While certainly a douche bag, he was right in a sense. This is not a laugh-a-minute movie. But it really isn't fair to have those kinds of assumptions. Having said that, I myself think the title is completely appropriate. This is a movie about the lives of funny people, and life is not an experience of constant hilarity. People going into the theater expecting the kind of movie where you can just turn your brain off and chuckle mindlessly at a few cheap jokes--well, you're in for a sad disappointment. Although, why anyone would have such bizarre assumptions after seeing any hint of a preview for this film is beyond me.

Adam Sandler is a wonderful actor when he wants to be, as anyone who's seen Punch Drunk Love would know already. He plays George Simmons, a wealthy, yet rather acerbic comedian who's been suddenly diagnosed with a chronic, practically incurable disease. In a desperate grasp for true friendship, he hires Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to be his assistant/writer. A lot of people are failing to notice that this is a buddy film essentially. As such, the dynamic between Sandler's character and Rogen's is both interesting and hilarious. Rogen is also growing as an actor, and it's noticeable. After staring in the somewhat lackluster Observe and Report, Rogen does a great job playing the quintessential nice guy in Funny People. He is an auspiciously charming foil to Sandler's cynical, sometimes downright hateful character.

At a little under 2 and a half hours, the movie runs a little long. Okay, okay, it's really long. I think that's the film's biggest flaw. There were times when I looked down at the time and wondered to myself when they were going to wrap things up. On the other hand, the film has enough redeeming qualities which seem to trump any issues I had with run time. The cameos alone will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see who pops up next (expect anyone from Eminem to James Taylor). This movie has a lot of heart, and that's pretty rare in the film industry, let alone comedies. Ultimately, Funny People is a poignant meditation on what it's means to be a comedian when things just aren't funny anymore.