Funny People- Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen

Director-Judd Apatow


SPOILER ALERT!




SEE.


I'm not an Adam Sandler fan. Before you get all judgmental, it's not that I don't like Adam Sandler. It's just that his particular brand of humor doesn't move me. (With the exception of the brilliant "Hanukkah Song.") Funny People, however, has brought me a whole new level of respect for Adam Sandler as an actor. No, I really mean it. The plot: A stand-up comedian turned movie star, George Simmons (Sandler), fdiscovers he has a potentially fatal disease and decides to reconnect with a now married ex-girlfriend. Just to make this a man-friendly plot, we throw in aspiring comedian, Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to be his personal assistant. You with me so far? Good, 'cause I'm not going any farther. (Okay, this is not a big stretch for Sandler. It's not like he's playing a 17th century British poet or something. Still, he gets the job done well without being over the top and weepy.)


Frankly, Sandler's George Simmons can be a hard character to like and he still makes us root for him. He appears to be a pretty good guy (giving his assistant, Ira, opportunities to perform his own routine and giving his possessions away) but when Simmons unleashes his anger on his fans, he doesn't hold back. That's a tough line to tow, and probably why Apatow needed an Adam Sandler instead of a Jim Carrey or an Eddie Murphy. Sandler can house the "nice guy/asshole" character in one body and still not completely piss you off. As far as casting goes, Apatow's muse du jour, Seth Rogen, is tailor-made for the part of Ira Wright. I mean he really commits to cluelessness. Only Rogen could bring the role of a goofy aspiring comic with a heart of gold to life with such full-throttle naivete, and still leave the audience a little charmed.




Unfortunately, Apatow needs a little work with the womenfolk. Unless schizo former actress who goes from "I hate you. Don't call me." to "You're my one true love. Let's have sex." in zero to sixty is your cup of tea. Don't get me wrong. I understand. George is dying so she has nothing to lose. (Hell, I might give this tactic a try with some of my friends one day.) But, once you know that the guy is not dying and, not only is he not dying anymore, but he has his assistant tell you-well, you should get a clue. This chick is a mess. (Leave your kids alone with some guy you just met 'cause he's your ex-boyfriend's assistant. I don't think so.) Apatow is a guy's writer which is not a problem generally, but it makes for somewhat one-sided storytelling. Real, non-crazy women exist, even in comedyland, Judd. Find one.

EAT.



Thanksgiving dinner in Los Angeles with friends. No family. George's speech about that being the best Thanksgiving those kids would ever have was absolutely true. In celebration of friendship in the city where your friends sleep with your lovers for your own good, order up an early Thanksgiving and invite some long lost friends to celebrate. Order up at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/84915/where_to_find_prepared_thanksgiving.html?cat=8.




SHOP.



Ah, what to do when you have thousands of dollars worth of free gifts and cars to give away before your imminent death. What's that? You don't have that problem. Don'y worry. You will. Get prepared at http://www.freecycle.org/ Give it away, give it away, give it away now. Oh, and I'm open to receiving. Just so you know.