# Funny People: The Movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 1, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012 "2009-08-01T22:46:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/1 "2009-08-01T22:46:04Z")
Just saw this film with Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen. First of all - make sure you have enough vacation time available at your work because this film is L O N G! I felt like I watched both the original and the sequel rolled into one! The audience made a mad dash for the restrooms the minute the film credits started rolling. That said, it was actually a pretty good movie! I am not a huge fan of Adam Sandler, but this was a damned good performance - he showed he actually has some serious dramatic acting talent. Same goes for Seth Rogen. Although this film is billed as a comedy, there were quite a few serious parts and both of them handled those scenes quite well! Nice story, found that I actually cared for the characters more than most comedy plots and the film didn’t end predictably. You might want to wait to see this on DVD, so you can stop and take bathroom breaks and make dinner, walk the dog, pay your rent and mow the lawn, but other than the excruciating length, it was a pretty damned good film! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/2 "2009-08-01T23:16:12Z")
It was surprisingly long for a comedy, wasn’t it? According to IMDB it has a running time of 2:26. That’s nuts, considering the genre. I really liked it, though. If you like Sandler’s dramatic performance, see _Punch Drunk Love_ and _Reign Over Me_. Both are excellent and rather underrated. People continue to underestimate Adam Sandler because he made lots of dumb comedies. (But _Happy Gilmore_ rules.) ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/3 "2009-08-01T23:23:54Z")
Just saw this last night and liked it a hell of a lot. It could have been cut down a bit in length, though I am not sure what they should take out, but it is a great movie. I think that Sandler is going to end up being one hell of a dramtic actor. He totally suprised me in _Reign Over Me_ and he is great in this film as well. Sandler is rapidly becoming one of my favorite actors. I like his comedies but his serious stuff is better. Now I am going to have to go rent _Punch Drunk Love_. Slee ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/4 "2009-08-02T00:28:18Z")
I had forgotten about _Punch Drunk Love_ - that really was quite a good movie. At any rate, Sandler did a good job on the “serious moments” of this comedy (as well as the comedy parts, of course) which made up for the length of the film. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/5 "2009-08-02T06:07:09Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I had forgotten about _Punch Drunk Love_ - that really was quite a good movie. If you watch closely, you’ll begin to realize that Sandler’s character in **Punch Drunk Love** is just a renamed Billy Madison. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/6 "2009-08-02T10:11:39Z")
I’m at a loss as to watch this movie or not. I love Adam Sandler comedies, and despise his so-called ‘serious’ roles. Punch Drunk Love was stupid, Spanglish was nonsensical and boring, and Click made everyone watching cry at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/7 "2009-08-02T15:06:51Z")
It was pretty good, overall. A bit long, yeah, but as I read in some review, each scene works alone and is pretty watchable. It could have ended about 3/4 through and been quite good. I’m sure a lot of comedians and writers will appreciate it. (Basically anyone who works in Hollywood and hates _Entourage_.) Despite his recent success Judd Apatow had a pretty, er, bumpy start. Lawsuits, cancellations, falling outs, re-printed e-mail fights with _That '70s Show_ creator Mark Brazill ([it’s](http://www.harpers.org/archive/2002/03/0079095) one of my favorite things ever). The ending was nice, in that he was still pretty much a prick and didn’t get his ex back. I guess it was possible Seth Rogen’s character would have hooked up with their cute neighbor eventually. She seemed bored, so why not? Their lady comedian neighbor – is there a more classic case of ‘How can she be hot? She’ wearing glasses and her hair is in her eyes’? Aubrey Plaza is actually quite a good stand-up comedian (see her Sara Silverman impression [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Sa9hXA4mo)) so it was a bit annoying that she got maybe two lines of stand-up, though I’m sure there’s more in the DVDs. Like so many of the movies Apatow’s associated with, the best bits were the banter with the supporting cast (Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman) and the surprisingly funny people. Who the hell thought James Taylor was a scene stealer, or that Eric Bana was hilarious? I also couldn’t help but love [Yo Teach](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGJU4VoT2zw) and all Sandler’s characters fake shitty movie clips and posters. I know George Simmons wasn’t supposed to _be_ Adam Sandler, but he was quite gutsy to poke fun at some of his recent work (_cough_ _Click_ \*cough). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/8 "2009-08-02T15:13:54Z")
The name of the movie is hard for me to get over. I can’t help but think of it as 2 and a half hours of Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Judd Apatow patting each other on the back about how funny they are. Even if it’s nothing of the sort, that’s all I’ll be able to think of it as in my mind, at least until I see it, which very well may be never. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/9 "2009-08-02T17:04:47Z")
Seeing the movie, the title is more of a “we see life as one big joke, and it’s not a good thing.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/10 "2009-08-02T18:03:25Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > If you watch closely, you’ll begin to realize that Sandler’s character in **Punch Drunk Love** is just a renamed Billy Madison. I saw _Punch Drunk Love_ as an exercise in what would happen if you took the protagonist from an Adam Sandler movie and stuck him in the real world (or at least the world of a more serious filmmaker). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/11 "2009-08-03T22:50:47Z")
Just got back from this movie. Eh. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, seeing as how I absolutely loathe Sandler, Rogan and half the supporting cast. Too long, but I don’t really see what they could have cut that wouldn’t undermine the character development (or lack thereof). Needed more titties. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/12 "2009-08-04T01:20:48Z")
They could’ve lost the whole story with the ex-girlfriend? It seemed to eat about 45 minutes for no reason. I guess it would’ve helped to make the girlfriend somewhat appealing. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/13 "2009-08-04T01:34:47Z")
I cannot stand Adam Sandler, but I loved this film. I don’t think the commercials really let you know what you were in for, but I’m glad I was dragged to go see it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/14 "2009-08-04T01:38:46Z")
Is there actually a plot? The commericals strongly suggest that there isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/15 "2009-08-04T02:20:51Z")
There is actually a plot. It just doesn’t resolve itself in any way. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/16 "2009-08-04T04:14:44Z")
It isn’t much of a comedy, or even a dramedy. It’s pretty much a drama with a few painfully terrible jokes in it to remind you that the subject of the film is a comedian. OK, I probably laughed once or twice, but that’s not enough to make it a comedy in my eyes. It was overall much more awkward than funny, and as has already been well-covered, way too damn long. I actually like most of Apatow’s movies, but this is probably his worst yet. He should just stick to the formula. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/17 "2009-08-04T05:36:13Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I actually like most of Apatow’s movies, but this is probably his worst yet. He should just stick to the formula. Well, his formula consists of making comedies over 2 hours, so at the very least he should ditch that. Nothing is funny for more than 2 hours, and even if it was, my stomach hurts from laughing and I need a break at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/18 "2009-08-04T06:09:30Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Well, his formula consists of making comedies over 2 hours Not usually, according to IMDB. His feature comedy credits as a producer and their respective runtimes include, in chronological order: _The Cable Guy_ (96 minutes) _Anchorman_ (94 minutes) _Kicking & Screaming_ (95 minutes) _The 40 Year Old Virgin_ (116 minutes) _Talladega Nights_ (108 minutes) _Knocked Up_ (129 minutes) _Superbad_ (114 minutes) _Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story_ (96 minutes) _Forgetting Sarah Marshall_ (111 minutes) _Drillbit Taylor_ (110 minutes) _Step Brothers_ (98 minutes) _Pineapple Express_ (111 minutes) _Year One_ (97 minutes) Of those the only one over 2 hours is Knocked Up, and just barely. By contrast Funny People is 146 minutes. Looking over the list though I have to retract my statement about it being his worst yet. I didn’t even realize he was involved with The Cable Guy (and several of those I have not seen and am not interested in seeing). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/19 "2009-08-04T06:29:13Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Not usually, according to IMDB. His feature comedy credits as a producer and their respective runtimes include, in chronological order: > > _The Cable Guy_ (96 minutes) > _Anchorman_ (94 minutes) > _Kicking & Screaming_ (95 minutes) > _The 40 Year Old Virgin_ (116 minutes) > _Talladega Nights_ (108 minutes) > _Knocked Up_ (129 minutes) > _Superbad_ (114 minutes) > _Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story_ (96 minutes) > _Forgetting Sarah Marshall_ (111 minutes) > _Drillbit Taylor_ (110 minutes) > _Step Brothers_ (98 minutes) > _Pineapple Express_ (111 minutes) > _Year One_ (97 minutes) > > Of those the only one over 2 hours is Knocked Up, and just barely. By contrast Funny People is 146 minutes. Looking over the list though I have to retract my statement about it being his worst yet. I didn’t even realize he was involved with The Cable Guy (and several of those I have not seen and am not interested in seeing). “Making” a movie is generally accepted to mean directing it. Every movie he has directed has been a comedy over 2 hours. (I guess the 40YOV was under 2 hours in the theatre but I saw it on DVD and it was over 2 hours.) ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012/20 "2009-08-04T06:44:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, seeing as how **I absolutely loathe Sandler, Rogan and half the supporting cast**. Geez, **silenus** , and I thought I was a masochist by seeing a film almost every Friday, even when there is nothing really great…but if you really hate almost everyone in the film, why did you go see this? Were you forced at gunpoint? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-people-the-movie/505012.md?page=2)