I loved this movie. I am going to heap tons and tons of praise upon it in the review. There is nothing that I didn’t like about it. If your are expecting anything more from this review then myself saying how much I loved it, you should stop reading now.
Judd Apatow is a very smart man. He is at a point in his career now that he can do anything he wants. He is so smart because he took all that power, surrounded himself with a crew and actors that are as smart as him and has made a great movie. Apatow’s script is fabulous. It feels like a living and breathing story and that drew me in and had my complete attention. The film is really two parts. The first half focuses on Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen’s characters and how they meet and then dealing with Sandler’s diagnosis. The second half involves Adam Sandler trying to pursue and win over the past love of his life played by Leslie Mann. Both haves have lots of laughs and lots of serious moments. For me personally my favourite comedies are ones that are able to make me laugh but also have a serious theme to them. That style is definitely not for everyone, but if you like that then this movie is even more for you.
The cast in the film is great. Adam Sandler gives a performance as good as he did in Punch Drunk Love. He was a cynical character who was some time a jerk, but he was very likeable because he never over played it or became a stereotypical cynic. This has been Seth Rogen’s year. He played the dark and disturbed but loveable Ronnie Barnhart in Observe and Report and now he is very likeable, insecure inspiring standup Ira Wright in this. This is not the character that he has been accused (unjustly) of being in every film. Leslie Mann though not in the film as much as I thought gives a great performance as usual. Eric Bana plays Mann’s husband and seeing as he gives great performances no matter what he is working with, he is great. Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill play Rogen’s roommates and just like everyone else they are great. RZA and Aziz Anzari have minor roles. Eminem, James Taylor, Ray Romano, as well as others show up as themselves.
It was great that Judd Apatow went with Januz Kaminski for cinematography. The man from Poland who has worked on such films as everything the Steven Spileberg has done since Schindler's List brings a great look to the film.
Funny People has a runtime of close to two and a half hours. The film is perfectly paced and it fly’s by. The film captured my attention and it was all that I focused on. I laughed throughout the entire film. There was never really a lull except when it was appropriate. This film about comedians is funny, poignant and near perfect. My favourite comedy of the year has been Observe and Report which I have seen three times. I am planning on seeing this another two times.
A Golden Banana
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