Review of Funny People (2009) by Amoviecritic — 02 Aug 2009

Thought it was pretty good. Some very funny moments, and a pretty heartfelt performance by Adam Sandler; get this guy an Oscar nom. Movie is a way too long 2 hours and 20 minutes, though, and feels like it, and the jokes even begin to repeat themselves as the movie goes on (especially those involving a certain male organ.

) Very funny movie at times, very touching movie at others, but the very long runtime and seemingly endless scenes of crying and sulking and a very unresolved ending (I found it brave, most may find it frustrating,) will have most people leaving the theater feeling tired rather than entertained.

Good movie, if Apatow had cut the script down by about 20 minutes it may have been great. I love the personal feel to it; Apatow has his wife and kids in this, as he did in Knocked Up, and there are numerous real-life home movies of Sandler doing comedy and making prank calls scattered throughout.

These are very likable characters and when they banter it's great fun. But it's just way too long a runtime for a comedy, and I'm very surprised that this fact wasn't picked up on in the movie's apparently numerous test screenings.