"Funny People," Judd Apatow's third feature film as writer/director, opens tomorrow, and it's already receiving mostly positive reviews from the nation's film critics (although not from Rex Reed). The 146-minute running time, which has been frequently commented on in reviews, means that the film ends up being a slightly unbalanced affair – with the first half mostly dealing with Seth Rogen's aspiring stand-up comedian character, who befriends Sandler's character (a very successful Sandler-esque comedian who is diagnosed with a terminal disease). He becomes a joke writer for him and grows close to him as a friend, while also dealing with the jealousy of his roommates, played by Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman.
The second half of the film changes location to Marin County in northern California, as a now-healthy Sandler (not a spoiler, this seemingly important plot development was spoiled early on in trailers) tries to win back the woman who got away, played by Apatow's real-life wife Leslie Mann. Although at this point the movie becomes a more typical Apatow-ish romantic comedy/dramedy, there are still detours along the way for bits of Rogen, Hill, and Sandler's stand-up routines (as well as a nice supporting performance by "Parks and Recreation's" Aubrey Plaza). There are also lots of cameos by real-life comedians such as Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick, and Dave Attell (and some non-comedian cameos that shouldn't be spoiled). While some comedy fans here on AST may have hoped for more of an emphasis on the stand-up comedy elements in the movie (especially those who attended the shows Apatow put on at the UCB Theatre and Orpheum Theater in preparation for the film), the movie features enough solid laughs that it should be another successful box office hit for Apatow and his crew.
Discuss the film and your reactions to it in the "Funny People" thread here.
