There is one important thing about Judd Apatow's new movie Funny People that moviegoers should keep in mind before buying a ticket: It isn't all that funny.
Sure, the title may imply that this movie, about fictional legendary comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler) who is faced with his own mortality, is nothing more than wall-to-wall bathroom humor. However, underneath the occasional (and hilarious) stand-up comedy jokes are many stories about a group of people who are just trying to make it through day-to-day life.
Sandler's performance is stellar as he tackles a more serious role than he has become known for. Playing the character of Simmons, who finds out that he has an inoperable form of leukemia, Sandler shows all sides of a person facing such a dilemma: the fear, the uncertainty, and the veiled attempts at using humor to mask his feelings. Having nobody to confide in, Simmons hires fledging comedian Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to serve as his joke writer and friend, and he eventually tells Wright about his condition.
Wright, who is forced to live on the couch of his much more successful comedian friends (Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman), revels in the newfound fame and attention he gains from being Simmons' buddy. Rogen is his usual charming and awkward self, especially in scenes with his love interest, Daisy (Aubrey Plaza).
The concept of life and loss is a huge theme in the film, most notably in the interactions between Simmons and his love interest Laura (Leslie Mann). After cheating on her years earlier, Simmons now desires to reconnect and make amends for his past actions. He is met with resistance by Laura, who has since married and had children with her husband Clarke (brilliantly played by Eric Bana).
Overall, the movie takes a more serious tone than most would expect, but that doesn't mean this ruins the experience. What the movie lacks in straightforward comedy (and it still has a lot of it), it makes up for in witty dialogue and a fresh look at some of life's most difficult questions. And if Funny People is any indication of Apatow's ability to tell a serious story while keeping the mood light, his next movie should have even higher expectations.
3 Culture
J.W. Johnson, Jr.
