Early on in the film Adam Sandler drives back to his lavish mansion with tears welling in his red eyes. He’s just been diagnosed with leukemia, and been informed of his slim chances for survival. The scene, perfectly acted and expertly shot, looks like a shot from Crash, much less any other comedy. The drama is potent and effective. Despite this, a couple to my right exits the theater.

Be warned dear readers: If you go in expecting Bruno, a film which went purely for laughs and no emotional connection, you’ll leave disappointed. Funny People packs an emotional wallop to go with its biting humor. Fortunately Apatow balances both aspects brilliantly.

The Plot

Adam Sandler plays George Simmons, a successful comedian who learns he has a rare form of leukemia, with only an eight percent chance of survival. Seth Rogen plays Ira Wright (who smartly changed his name from Ira Wiener) a struggling comedian who shares a flat with fellow comedian Leo (Jonah Hill) and the semi famous Mark Taylor Jackson (Jason Schwartzman). Mark is incredibly pompous, and often leaves the checks from his hilariously awful primetime show “Yo Teach!” in plain sight as “incentive” for Ira and Leo to work harder.

One night George performs at a club with Ira and Leo, despondent from the news he has received. He bombs horribly. After his set, Ira goes up. When his jokes fail as well, he begins riffing on George’s set, which wins him back the crowd. George is impressed, and offers Ira a gig writing jokes for him.

George bonds with Ira and decides to tell him about his disease, thinking Ira “won’t be weird about it.” Ira stays composed until later at a restaurant where he breaks down in one the film’s funnier scenes.

Ira convinces George to make amends with his friends and family, including his ex-fiancé Laura (Leslie Mann).  She still loves George, and with his impending death, she can finally address her feelings openly.

Then the inevitable happens, and George’s experimental treatment renders him disease free. With a new lease on life, George heads to San Francisco to win back Laura with Ira in tow. Problem is that Laura is married a meathead Aussie named Clarke (Eric Bana) and has two beautiful kids.

The Good

The movie is hilarious. There is no denying this. It is not however a direct comedy. It has something to say about life, death, forgiveness, and every other problem life throws at us. But in the film’s more dramatic moments, the comedy hits harder, and therefore leaves a greater impact on the viewer.

The funniest scenes in the movie come from the Sandler and Rogen interaction. George is cocksure and amiable, a perfect match for the insecure Ira, whose awkwardness and affable sincerity make him the film’s most endearing character.  Mann, a much more likeable character than the wife she played in Knocked Up, manages to channel a heart broken wife and a yearning lover, all the while maintaining a realistic and humorous outlook.

As always in Apatow’s movies, the writing is high grade and daring. Not a lot of writers today would include a reference to the Russian roulette scenes from The Deer Hunter. The San Francisco portions of the film showcase Apatow’s growth as filmmaker. Not only are they the most dramatic scenes, they’re also the most realistically funny. The breaking up of family is a touchy subject that could easily have turned to melodrama, but Apatow approaches them with a tender and masterful touch.

The Bad

The movie is two and a half hours long, and lags a bit in the reconciliation scenes. These scenes, though funny, don’t advance the plot as much as they should, and wallow in the details. This is an extremely minor complaint though, and one that should not stop you from seeing this film.

Verdict

Funny People makes your stomach hurt from both laughter and sadness. At 146 minutes, it’s certainly not a light watch by any means.  Sandler, Mann, Rogen and Hill all give their best performances to date, and all show how hurt can be channeled into hilarity.  It encompasses nearly every aspect of the human condition hilariously. If that’s not enough incentive, it’s also Judd Apatow’s best film.  For big time laughs, and excellent performances make Funny People your number one choice for heartfelt comedy. 

Emovieguide Rating: 9 out of 10

Reviewed by Stephen Morrison

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