Funny People Movie Review + Playlist
Funny People, with director Judd Apatow, and Actors Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill was a highly anticipated movie this summer. I’m a huge Apatow fan starting with one of my favourite TV shows, Undeclared. Even better, George Simmons the character Sandler was playing looked like it paralleled parts of what Sandler’s career has become (lots of shitty movies).
First things first, this movie IS funny. There are a ton of penis jokes but funny even when the plot point borders on depressing. This movie however is not good for a variety of reasons. It’s a tale of two movies, one part where George is dying and seeks to improve his life the other where George finds out he’s no longer dying and he’s a total prick and you can’t side with him.
The first part is incredibly well done and it would’ve been a great film had it ended there. Sometimes you have to go with short movies in order not to ruin things. This movie decided to drag a lot longer but instead of going all out, it ends up disappointing by stopping short with a god awful ending. I wasn’t even given a chance to like George Simmons again, how am I supposed to accept that he’s “good” again by writing jokes? Especially in 5 minutes where he acts like a jerk in the first place? Out of the group of friends I was with, we all wanted George Simmons to die… so that says that much about how we liked his character.
The film is polar opposites, the first part is self-aware, funny, intentionally awkward and great character build up. The second half is started with Eminem putting “what are you doing here?” after George gets better. While Eminem asks this, the movie never asks that itself and it ends up lost. The fight scene with Eric Bana was awkward and perhaps unnecessary in fact; the more I think about it the more I feel like that whole section shouldn’t have been in there.
The latter part of the film really put a damper on the potential of what this could’ve been.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 for half a good film.
Considering there was quite a bit of music in it (Wilco references), Seth Rogen’s character Ira Wright makes a cheer up playlist for George Simmons, here’s what my list would include:
1. I Should Have Known Better by She and Him
2. Dying Is Fine by Ra Ra Riot
3. The Past and Pending by The Shins
4. My Dick by Mickey Avalon ft. Dirty Nasty and Andre Legacy
5. Laughing With A Mouth of Blood by St. Vincent
6. It’s Cool To Love Your Family by Feist
7. You Still Love Me Blondie by Matthew And The Arrogant Sea
8. It Was A Better Time by The Hermit
9. I Feel Better by Frightened Rabbit
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