When I first heard about the movie Funny People a few months ago, I was ecstatic. Seth Rogan and Adam Sandler unite in a Judd Apatow film? I'm there!!! I mean, it's damn near impossible to screw up such a stellar ensemble, right? I guess in this case, "near" is the operative word. Apparently, this is how it's done:
Write a really long, drawn out script about a comedian who comes down with a deadly blood disease. Include a good number of pointless scenes that have nothing to do with the plot and add nothing to the aesthetic of the movie. Don't skimp on the penis jokes - if you can, try to squeeze in an average of one per minute. And whatever you do, don't present them in an ironic way, as you want to appeal to as many 12-year-old boys as possible. Have the dying comic miraculously recover from his illness halfway through the movie, but leave no room for ambiguity around whether or not he was really sick (i.e., you wouldn't want audiences to consider that he may be playing a big joke on everyone or anything like that). Make sure the comic learns next to nothing from his near death experience; this will ensure the plot remains as flat and dull as possible. Any attempts to liven up the plot should be as over-the-top as you can make them. Include lots of cloying tears and inauthentic supporting character relationships.
Honestly, I almost fell asleep numerous times while watching this movie - something that rarely happens to me in a theatre. (Granted I was mid-migraine and heavily medicated - and it was the late show). Still, I'm sure my fully functioning self would agree that Funny People is just not funny. The chemistry between Adam Sandler and Seth Rogan is pretty good, and the idea behind the story could have a lot of potential. Unfortunately, the script itself doesn't work in the least, and the scenes with Apatow's wife (whom I actually quite enjoyed in The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) are simply painful.
Boy, am I glad we saw this one on cheap night...
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