Of Course when I see the trailer of any Judd Appatow film, I know that I must not miss it. Funny People is a movie that I personally like because It is that one film that sticks with you and makes you want to contemplate your own life. It's one of those movies that you watch with a smile on your face but for some reason It makes your heart heavy.
The movie is about a famous stand-up comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler) who's screwed up his romantic life when he was young but who's doing fine and earned good amount of money and gained fame. He's doing okay until he finds out that he's diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. What happens to a man who makes people laugh, suddenly realizes that It's a n arduous task to even put half a smile on his own face? He meets Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) a struggling comedian and takes some sort of liking towards him. Simmons hires Ira and they try to deal with his life and the disease together.
One of the things that Simmons asks Ira to do is, make amends with his ex flame Laura (Leslie Mann). The drama begins with Simmons meeting Laura and her daughters and the spark from the past igniting and opening up a whole avenue of trouble for them. The Husband, Clarke (Eric Bana) unexpectedly arrives, creating more confusion, humor and seriousness in a perfect balance.
The film also focuses on Ira's relationship with his flatmates, Mark (Jason Schwartzman) and Leo (Jonah Hill). The typical selfishness yet the concern for one another that people living together go through and deal with.
It's the writing which works for this film. Judd Appatow does his best to bring the reality of pain. Whether you are a struggling young man trying to make it big, or you're a celebrity, when you go through pain, you can connect with each other. The irony of the film is that It's about people who are supposed to make the audience laugh narrating their fictitious chronicles, hiding their troubles and worry so that people watching them don't see the state of affliction. Appatow puts forth the truth everybody is looking for "Laughter"; some want to be the reason for it, while some want an object for their mirth.
Like I said, It isn't about brilliant cinematography or oscar-winning performances albeit Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen do justice to their characters. I particularly like the scene where Simmon's doctor is talking to the two of them and they start throwing jokes on him about his European ethnicity. It isn't racist or anything. It is essentially funny! It's the script that grips the audience watching the film. Watch It if you like a film that makes you laugh every now and then but makes you want to think and contemplate about life earnestly.
