Funny People

It is not what you would expect from these three men. In my opinion, it was better. This was a serious study about how even when we are faced with life changing events, we will choose not to change, but to try and go back. Ira (Rogen) is a struggling stand up comedian whose act consist mostly of self defeating humor that makes himself look bad. George (Sandler) plays a shadow of himself as a comedian who has made a series of highly successful movies who finds himself alone when he is diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. George hires Ira to write jokes for him and to act as his personal assistant. What happens is not what is expected. There are lots of confrontations. How success can change people, how competitive the standup circuit is. How lost loves never go away from our hearts. This is a serious character study of how a group of people who are funny, don't always have the funniest of lives. Fame comes with a price and in the end, you have to realize who your friends are and how that even though life changing events can occur, does not mean you will look at it favorably. Trying to do the right thing can complicated your life in unexpected ways. The movie is hilarious. But it never tries to force anything on you. The movie is a true drama with some fantastic acting. Also, it is hard to ignore how hilarious it was as the writers mock such comedians as Dane Cook. Some might miss it, but it is pretty obvious to a snob like me. I gave this movie a 9/10 and cannot wait for the DVD. Though the movie is long, I never felt the time. I have heard complaints about the run time, but all Aptow movies do this. Let him keep doing it. Don't expect a raunchy comedy. Expect a serious Drama. And enjoy it.