Funny People (New Judd Apatow movie)

[Kane52630]

what was funny, Ken was in 3 trailers before they showed Funny People
i was like man that guy is going places

 

[Catman]

Yea, but FUNNY PEOPLE wasn't marketed to be a movie like PUNCH DRUNK LOVE or REIGN OVER ME.

It wasn't marketed to be a Billy Madison either.

I don't like comedies that try too hard to be serious and I don't like dramas that try too hard to have comedy. It just doesn't mesh well and most of the time, it feels forced either way. I am sure there are directors that have done it but there is a reason why we don't see a ton of dramatic comedies or comedic dramas...however you say it or whatever genre name it has. Why? Because both take you away from the other.

There's plenty of comedy-dramas out there. Both genres work well because they reflect life the best. Life IS both a comedy and a drama. And, Apatow's directorial efforts, 40-Year-Old Version and Knocked Up handled the serious and funny stuff very well. And if you see Funny People you'll realize that he does the same there. He balances the two very well.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

It wasn't marketed to be a Billy Madison either.



There's plenty of comedy-dramas out there. Both genres work well because they reflect life the best. Life IS both a comedy and a drama. And, Apatow's directorial efforts, 40-Year-Old Version and Knocked Up handled the serious and funny stuff very well. And if you see Funny People you'll realize that he does the same there. He balances the two very well.

I just think people were expecting a HA HA HA movie for almost 2 and a half hours. like the other two and couldn't handle the dramatic serious side of the movie.

 

[Kane52630]

i mean when i first saw the trailer i knew it wasnt like the other comedic movies, i dont know what the people that was expecting something else saw

 

[Dr. Evil]

Judd can't do raunchy sex comedies forever. Might as well do something more mature. Don't see a problem with it to be honest.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

i mean when i first saw the trailer i knew it wasnt like the other comedic movies, i dont know what the people that was expecting something else saw

I know exactly thank you!

They didn't lie to you in the trailers. If not their fault if someone doesn't pay attention to a trailer.

And if you're a person who knows nothing about this movie and sees it just alone from a TV spot that shows some of the funniness I don't know what to say. I mean they could look up on the movie. see what the plot is. It's not like its a big twist or something its right in the plot summary.

 

[Kane52630]

and it also goes for the people that said it was too long, you can look it up

 

[The Apatow Crew]

Judd can't do raunchy sex comedies forever. Might as well do something more mature. Don't see a problem with it to be honest.

I totally agree. Are people mad this isn't one of those films?

I remember when those movies came out I heard people go all he does is raunchy sex comedies is he ever gonna do a serious film? And when he does, the people still get pissed off at him.

It's like whatever this guy does right, the people are never happy.

and I'm still people are like but what about the pacing and the time? I'm not gonna sit 140 mins for a comedy. A comedy should be about 90-95 mins they think. But yet those are still the same that complain about movies being too short.

 

[Episode29]

Let's also keep in mind that this film is pretty damn "Inside Baseball" for the average movie-goer. I mean, there are so many obscure references tossed around half the time that only about 10% of my theatre seemed to get it. Personally, I love that type of comedy. But I don't expect Ma and Pa Trunchett in the Mid-west to get it much at all. It feels, no offense to people outside the area who loved the heck out of it, like it was aimed at a very media-savvy East Coast/major metropolitan city crowd. That is going to limit how well it is received.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

and it also goes for the people that said it was too long, you can look it up

I said it before and I'll say it again. People who know his two other films should know he likes to make well over two hour films.

Or hell when you go to the ticket window all you gotta do is ask how long this film is. I mean thats if you don't order them online and when you order them I'm sure the runtime is listed right there!

 

[Mr. Para-Normal]

I have no problem with drama/comedy movies like somone said Life is a Comedy and a Drama. I also agree that Jud Apatow should try new kinds of movies because after a while people will get tired of his standard Raunchy sex comedies. I enjoyed funny people for the first half. The movie when downhill for me when George and Ira when to his ex wifes house and it just draged on and on for way to LONG I didn mind the 2 hour runtime but that whole part of the movie could have been trimmed down considerably. I like the life message at the end but them being at the house for like 40-50 mins of the movie really slowed things down and I was bored.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

It wasn't his Ex-Wife. It was his former Girlfriend.

I hear alot complain about character development or lack of it sometimes.

You get it right there and people go thats boring. That's cause Normal life is boring, thats what they were trying to show you.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Judd has stated that one of his influences has been James L. Brooks, who's done his share of mature comedies and has been known to mix comedy with drama and does it well.

 

[CrypticOne]

I liked this film. Very good! Great performances. Especially Eminem's part.

 

[K.B.]

Saw this film and it was okay, much better then Knocked Up but it wasnt as great as I was hoping it would be. Had stuff I liked and stuff I didnt.

Yep. He gets the crap beaten out of him and blinded by an exploding money bag in the trailer.

Poor Ken.

Usually after you see a comedy trailer 3 times the jokes stop being funny but that part with the Pearl Harbor speech and him getting punched gets me everytime lol

 

[Leenie]

I haven't seen the movie yet (and I don't know if I'll actually have the time to catch it in theaters), but I'm actually quite happy that Judd Apatow is broadening his horizons.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, but I don't want too much of a good thing to happen. Raunchy jokes for 2 hours can only go so far after a while, you know?

I think this is a good career move for Adam Sandler too. Personally, I'd like to see him in more drama/dramedy roles. I thought he was bloody fantastic in Reign Over Me.

 

[K.B.]

I thought he was bloody fantastic in Reign Over Me.

And he should have REALLY been a cast in the Bob Dylan pic I'm Not There

 

[nightwing06]

There are so many different paths a comedians career can go down,begging for 2 minute gigs at a comedy club for no pay,or a fruitful path which can lead to films ,or sitcoms,with big box office takes,or ratings gold.All of these paths are explored in Judd Apatow's new dramedy Funny People.
George Simmons(Adam Sandler) is on the aforementioned fruitful pass,but when he learns he's ill,he begins to think of family connections that were lost,his lack of friends,a family life that was forfeited for his career and the one that got away.
When a struggling comedian Ira Wright(Seth Rogen) crosses his path Simmons hires him as his personal assitant,and joke writer.
Sandler does a great job here once again showing his acting ability in scenes in which he's reflective,regretful,angry about his plight,and funny
He's supported by a funny cast which includes Ira's roomamtes,Jason Schwartzman as Mark Taylor Jackson,a comedic actor on a lame sitcom who loves to flaunt his paycheck,Jonah Hill as Leo Koenig a comedian more succesful than Ira and actually gets paid for his gigs,and Aubrey Plaza as Daisy who's comedic delivery is so laid back you cant help but laugh.
Throw in a who's who of the comedic world,and scenes filled with pics of comedy greats,and you know this is Apatow's tribute to comedians.
The film loses its way a bit when Simmons pursues his now married with children lost love Laura (Leslie Mann) I was ok with the actions of both characters at first,and Eric Bana makes the most of his scenes as her husband Clarke
There's a great moment in the film in which with just a look from Laura and through Simmons actions,we see and realize if they are going to make extreme sacrifices in their lives so they can be together.Instead of continuing down this path, Apatow instead draws the film out with silliness thats unecessary and extends the film for no reason
FP at times reminded me of Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland another good look at the lives of comedians.In the end FP is not a laugh out loud 20 minute comedy routine,but its not a 2 minute non paying gig either.
Scale of 1-10 an 8

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I'm not surprised by the lame opening weekend numbers besides the Die Hard joke the trailer was quite useless.

I think the studio is being a little overzealous with it's saturday to sunday drop. I'm not saying that it's really a 20% drop or anything but I believe that it's worst than 2.8%. I leave room to be wrong but I doubt it.

 

[daywalker2007]

how did this movie cost $75 million?

 

[mclay18]

how did this movie cost $75 million?

1) Apatow used Janusz Kaminski, Spielberg's DP of choice, who commands a high price.
2) He shot in L.A., which added to the cost.
3) Also his friends and his own asking price.

This flick looks like it was made for half that. I mean The Hangover was made for half that, but looks more expensive than FP.

Apatow needs to learn to curb costs. This movie, unless it has good legs, is yet another nail in the coffin for Universal's summer (they're gonna put Apatow on a shorter leash). He's either gonna have to shoot his movies elsewhere or take a pay cut when he gets behind the camera again.

 

[weezerspider]

Did the Hangover even have a fart joke? If so I don't remember it, because there was so much going on.

I don't literally mean fart jokes. I mean vulgar jokes that 16 year olds say in the lunch room. Yes, The Hangover was funny, but Funny People is mature; It still has some of those jokes, which is fine, but it also has more to it. I like that. Its good writing. As far as quality goes, Funny People is one of the better written comedies in awhile.


There's quite a few dramatic comedies. I think dramadies is the name for it now days.

 

[dogwonder78]

I liked this movie. I saw it this weekend. Adam Sandler is definitely getting older and you could tell in this role. He was kinda like borderline "creepy old guy" I thought, but overall the movie was good. I loved Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill!

 

[FaT_tONle]

Sandler seemed to turn back the clock in Zohan lookwise despite the film absolutely blowing... but yeah the Happy Sandler days appear to be over. What is he... 45? 46? He needs to get into more drama. What does he have lined up next summer? Please tell me it's not another brainless comedy.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Sandler seemed to turn back the clock in Zohan lookwise despite the film absolutely blowing... but yeah the Happy Sandler days appear to be over. What is he... 45? 46? He needs to get into more drama. What does he have lined up next summer? Please tell me it's not another brainless comedy.

He's doing a comedy with David Spade, Chris Rock, Kevin James and Rob Schneider.