Ryan McNeil
Here’s the problem with titling your movie FUNNY PEOPLE – you’re almost daring people not to laugh at it.
Adding insult to injury, is the fact that this movie isn’t exactly a comedy. One can be excused from going in thinking that it is a comedy, given that it stars Sandler and Rogen, and is directed by the Hollywood’s current reigning king of comedy.
No folks, this is a story about the tears of a clown, and what that clown does when the laughter stops…at least, it starts out being about that.
FUNNY PEOPLE is the story of George Summers (Adam Sandler), a comedian who has all the showbiz success one could ever want. Sadly, one day George is diagnosed with a very rare blood disorder which seems to be untreatable. George doesn’t really know what to do with himself, but believes he might find the answer by going back to his roots and doing a set or two at L.A. comedy clubs. It’s here, after an especially melancholy turn at the mic that he meets Ira Wright (Seth Rogen).
Wright is trying to make it as a comic, and gets a lot of support from his roommates Leo (Jonah Hill) and Mark (Jason Schwartzman). Leo and Mark are both doing better than Ira is – for instance, they don’t have to spend weekdays working the deli counter at a grocery store. Ira’s luck turns around though, when George reaches out to him. Shaken by how badly he bombed right before Ira, he believes he’ll need some writing help if he really wants to do this farewell tour. Thus, he hires Ira as a writer and personal assistant.
The experiment works, giving George a new level of success, and providing Ira with some unexpected mentoring. However, the entire dynamic is upset when George finds out that his experimental drug plan might have worked, and the disease has been held at bay. With this new lease on life, George ratchets up his efforts. His work hits a high he hasn’t had in ages, and he takes all that momentum and directs it towards re-connecting with the girl who got away, Laura (Leslie Mann). It doesn’t seem to matter a bit to him that she’s married. With two kids.
It’s a pity that the story didn’t stick with the theme of the sad jester, because when it wanders toward trying to re-connect with a long lost love, the movie is ultimately done in. In the beginning, knowing who Laura is and how George screwed things up between them just adds to the sadness of his story. But Apatow wasn’t satisfied with that, and instead pulled Laura’s entire home and family into the spotlight. It brings the story to a screeching halt, and destroys all the momentum built up in the opening ninety minutes.
Perhaps, what really knocks the wind out of the movie’s sails, is that the audience spends the opening two acts sympathizing for a lonely millionaire, only to watch him go out and do something really selfish. He willingly wants to overturn not just Laura’s life, but Clarke’s life and the childrens lives too. It seemed a cold course for a man just given a new lease on life. Furthermore, Laura seemed too intelligent a character to go as far down the road to divorce as she did. This is a movie based on three principle characters, and when audiences find themselves not liking two out of three, that ain’t a good sign.
In a lot of ways, much of the movie’s success, or lack thereof, comes back to Sandler. By casting sandler as George Simmons, Apatow inadvertently waved a flag keeping audiences away. Those that don’t like Sandler, probably didn’t realize that this time wasn’t a typical “Adam Sandler Movie”. Those out there who are Sandler fans don’t like seeing him in something this high brow, as was the case with PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Putting a cherry on it all, is that Sandler is playing a bit of a looking-glass version of himself. As unbelievable as it might seem, Apatow has finally miscalculated.
Comedians are complexed people, often unhappy people too. Watching them work, both successfully and unsuccessfully is fascinating. I’ve often found it cool that one comedian can give another the framework of a bit, and without even cracking a smile, the other will respond with “Yeah, that’s funny”. Pardon? If it’s funny, why aren’t you laughing? Such is life for those whose job it is to make the rest of us laugh. It’s a mindset that we aren’t a part of, and that’s what separates us from them. A movie about comics working, failing, succeeding, and living would be one I’d love to watch…but this movie isn’t it.
I really enjoyed your review. You managed to explain what I was thinking when I done my review I just really could not think of how to word everything. Its such a shame they tried to make two movies in one though isnt it as the first part of this movie could have been so good, if only they had kept going with it.
As you know from my review, I didn't have a problem with the second half of the story as much as I did with the failure of Leslie Mann in selling that part of the movie. Although I've found her quite funny in smaller parts, her range is limited.
Sandler's sudden selfishness that you refer to didn't seem all that sudden to me. The early part of the film establishes how callous he is, and implies the disease is the only thing that makes him start thinking about reforming his behavior. So to me it seemed organic that the film go in the direction that it does.
If another actress would have been cast in the role of Laura (say, Gwyneth Paltrow, or even Sandra Bullock who has a limited range herself), I think there'd be less complaints about the latter half of the film.
It's so funny, I think I liked it for the same reasons you didn't! I thought it was a love letter to stand-up and I loved watching the process and thought the jokes were spot on. It's a shame some will be turned off by Sandler since he is making fun of his previous roles while successfully playing a fully formed character for the first time.
At the same time, I'm not sure if it will hold up to a second viewing.
@ Caz… Thanks! I actually forgot to make mention of the two-movies-in-one problem, but I remember that being one of my first thoughts when the credits rolled.
@ Tony… You're right. Now that I think about it Sandler's selfishness doesn't come out of nowhere. Doesn't make it easier to swallow when it does show up though. I had no problems with Mann's performance, but I found her more believable when she was trying to keep Sandler at arm's reach.
@ Megan… I loved the look into the world of comics too, I really only grew dissatisfied when the movie turned its attention away from that. Good to see Paul Reiser still working though 😉