Judd Apatow’s latest film sees Adam Sandler teamed up with long-term favourite Seth Rogan in this comedy-drama about a legendary comedian George Simmons who finds out he suffers from a rare, and terminal, disease. Can Apatow and his legion of stars transcend their collective comedy careers to create a deeper, richer mix of humour and real-life issues? It’s a big ask.

Adam Sandler has emerged as a much better straight actor than a comedy one, and so in taking the role of George Simmomns he is playing entirely to his strength. George is introduced to us as a guest stand-up act in a small venue where amateurs Ira Wright (Rogan) and Leo Koenig (Hill) are performing. When Simmons delivers a dour set Ira has the unenviable task of following, and decides to roast the guy. It proves a good move as a deeply depressed Simmons offers him an assistant job, involving writing occasional jokes for his gigs. The job is a godsend for Ira, whose life living on more successful comedy-actor Mark Jackson’s (Schwartzmann) couch and working in a deli is far from perfect, but he soon finds out that it has it’s bad points as Simmons resolves to become a better person in his dying days, and patch things up with childhood sweetheart Laura.

Supplementary plot lines provide ample comic relief. The 10-day chase to sleep with sexy comi-geek Daisy is a great source of comedy for Schwartzmann, and adds much needed tension to the dynamic between three stooges Ira, Leo and Mark. The best exponent of their combined comedy, however, comes in and around Mark’s success story: a corny, formulaic TV sitcom called ‘Yo Teach!’ that looks suspiciously like Saved By the Bell. Another brilliant addition is the Scandinavian/German doctor treating George, whose accent sparks one of many belly-laugh-inducing gag sessions between Sandler and Rogan.

The surprise package of the film is Eric Bana. Cast as the boorish Australian husband of Laura, I anticipated some grade-A silliness to supplement to snowballing emotional drama. When he didn’t deliver I wondered whether he had missed a trick, but on reflection is seems that he has captured the tone of Apatow’s film perfectly. Gags do appear, but they do not dominate what is a complex character and a great addition to a group that is constantly realistic, never afraid to make mistakes and, crucially
never dislikable.

At almost two-and-a-half hours long, Funny People does drag a little. In striving for realism beneath the comic veneer of his characters, Apatow goes to great lengths to capture their every aspect on screen. It’s a creditable effort but one that’s not entirely necessary. Had he been less of a big-wig perhaps a ballsier editor could have told him so and thus improved the film exponentially, nonetheless it remains a funny, interesting and genuinely moving film.

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By: Mike Edwards