Review: "Funny People" (2009)

Director: Judd Apatow
Genere: Comedy/Drama
Release Date: July 31, 2009

This review is actually dealing with a "recent" film in a long time.

Funny People is a drama with comedy melted on top of it like a good omelet with cheese.

George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is a famous comedian that has everything that a man can want: Money, fame, and the babes. He lives quite contently until one day he is pronounced "terminal" by his doctor.


George meets Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) and decided to hire him as his assistant. As they began to bond as friends, Ira suggests to him that he has to spend more time with people that matter to him. So George takes a chance at getting his girl back from the days, Laura (Leslie Mann), and the drama begins.

This movie is quite great. Like I've said, it's like a cheese melting on top of an omelet. The comedic elements are presented in a very subtle way, but uncontrollable-laugh inducing at the same time. Because the laugh (cheese) is good, the drama (omelet) underneath it becomes less painful, but still sips into the mood. The two elements swirl together and make the screening intensely bittersweet.

Because these people that you seen on the big screen are funny, you can still see the envy, hate, fear, pain, anger, and love, you are forced to laugh while emotions twirl and twist inside your head. I mean, it's like a subliminal message. I laughed through the entire film, but when I walked out of the theater, I felt like I've gotten hit in the back of my head with a frozen fish.

The stars of the film, Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen was impressive. There were some scenes where the emotions lacked, but Adam Sandler really pulled off the depressed guy. For Seth, it was a bit weird at first. Seeing him in Superbad (2007) and Pineapple Express (2008) made me expect him to be funnier in this piece. Then I realized that he's character was completely different from what it used to be. He was shy, awkward, sensitive, caring, and passionate. No, not like the pretending-to-be in Knocked Up (2007). Oh, and Seth Rogen lost a lot of weight.

Basically, the film takes you through a journey or adventure, whatever you want to call it, of immature people learning to live with their mistakes past, and to sacrifice themselves for others' happiness.

This is definitely a good choice of movie to see in the theaters with your pals, and girlfriend/boyfriend.

Three and a half stars for this movie.