Funny People Review
So...I know this is a ridiculous statement...I'm very aware of this fact, but that doesn't mean the statement isn't absolutely true. I have to say, Funny People has been my favorite movie of the year so far. Hands down. I have no idea why and it makes NO sense, but it was good enough for me to see it THREE times in theaters. I never do that EVER. It makes no sense to me, so I'm goanna write about it! ALRIGHT! Funny people is the story of George Simmons (Adam Sandler) and Ira Weiner (Seth Rogen), two comedians on opposite ends of the spectrum. George Simmons is a widely successful, and terribly bored, selfish loner that spends most of his time brooding about the disease that is beginning to take his life. Ira, however, is a very unsuccessful yet ambitious comedian who rarely gets laugh and works at a food mart. George discovers Ira after one of his terribly tragic stand up performances, and decides to let him write jokes for him and be his "assistant." Ira jumps at the offer, snatching the opportunity of celebrity and well, cash, but soon finds that George's life is a selfish cluttered mess of fear and self loathing and well...George is dying. Funny People doesn't really sound like funny people, does it? Yet I still laughed at it. Hard. And I was also touched. I see mirrored reflections of myself in both characters. Ira's hopeful spirit, struggling to push George up into a life outside of selfishness and boredom, and also George's self loathing depression that is spiraling out of control, and bringing everyone else down with him. Then (this isn't that big of a spoiler) George isn't dying...and he's forced to ask himself, what now? Where does this life go from here? I'm pretty sure that characters never asked questions like that in Step Brothers or Semi Pro. Funny People is definitely on a higher caliber than both of these films, but still manages to remain a fun and entertaining comedy. The film is 2 hours and 30 minutes long, and will be WAY too long for some people, but I was absolutely engrossed the entire time and wouldn't want the film to be any other way. If it was shorter there would be either less comedy or less character development and heart, and if either of those elements were taken out, the entire film would be ruined. I still have no idea why Funny People was particularly moving to me, because to be honest, 500 Days of Summer was a much better film, but Funny People hits me on a much deeper level. All I can say is that I fully understand the realm that Judd Apatow was attempting to pull me into. I truly cared about the characters that moved throughout the film, broken and bleeding, and yet I also laughed at all the jokes about balls. How strange? I haven't seen The 40 Year Old Virgin, but I have had a chance to see Knocked Up, and it is my opinions that Funny People is 60 times better than Knocked Up. The fact is that Funny People goes so many more places that Knocked Up didn't even attempt to explore, and well, it was a lot funnier too. I can't wait to see Funny People again. Not for the balls jokes, or all the stand up, but for the scenes of warmth and humanity that the film is absolutely riddled with. George and Ira's relationship is not perfect, but it truly is a really beautiful, human example of friendship. Ira's relationship with Daisy (another comedian) is another akward, but human portrayal of romantic interaction between too...funny people. Towards the end of the film Adam Sandler chillingly rips at Ira saying..."Bad career choice...comedy is meant for funny people..." And it is, but it's also here to reminds us about the cracks and damages in all of us, and the fragile balance that keeps us together and I can't held but watch Funny People and be reminded about that, no matter how many times they talk about sex. I intensely suggest Funny People, but like anything, make sure to keep an open mind about it and look for the art in it. I did, and was blessed by the films beauty and humor. Go see it...NOW!
Other movies you should see or at least look out for... (I've only seen a few of them)
500 Days of Summer
District 9 (Maybe)
Inglorious Basterds
Paper Heart
Shutter Island
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE!!
Taking Woodstock
The Hurt Locker
The Informant
Fantastic Mr. Fox!
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