That Judd Apatow has now directed only three films ("The 40 Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and "Funny People") belies the fact that his influence on film and TV in the past decade is far-reaching and has helped define the era.
As a writer/producer, he's been involved in dozens of motion pictures and TV shows ranging from "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" to "Superbad" to "Freaks and Geeks."
Apatow started out as a stand-up comic and when first in Hollywood roomed with Adam Sandler, who became more successful early on and stars in "Funny People."
Apatow was writing material for comics when still in his teens. Some assume "Funny People" may be inspired by his and Sandler's relationship. Seth Rogen - an Apatow surrogate - is onboard in a role that furthers that assumption.
The film is Apatow's most ambitious project to date and suffers a bit from over-reaching. At nearly two and a half hours, it's too long. The promise of the first two acts wears down in the finale. And it wears and wears and wears.
Apatow was aiming to do something on the scale of "Magnolia" or "Short Cuts" but is better suited to keeping things short, (raunchily) sweet and funny.
There are many funny and sweet moments - and raunch - in "Funny People." The stand-up bits are fairly vulgar, but that has become mainstream lately.
Sandler plays George Simmons, a comedian who stars in low-brow comedies (much like Sandler has done, aside from "Punch-Drunk Love" and this film) and has a typically ribald stand-up act. His best days seem to be behind him, but things get worse.
George finds out he has a form of leukemia and is given very little chance of survival. So he wants to go out on a high note.
He meets aspiring comic Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) and hires him to write jokes and be his assistant.
Ira is the only person, at first, who knows that George is terminally ill, and that is the driving force of the plot.
Other sub-plots are equally compelling: Ira lives with two other comedians. One - played by Jason Schwartzman - is less talented but a pretty boy and has landed a role on a dreadfully bad, but lucrative, sitcom and is finally earning bigger bucks than his pals. The other roomie, Leo, is played by Jonah Hill, who was Rogen's surrogate in "Superbad" (which Rogen co-wrote and Apatow produced). Leo doesn't know that George wanted both he and Ira to write for him. Ira neglected to let that out.
It's always a family affair with Apatow. His real-life wife, Leslie Mann, and their two kids, Iris and Maude, play a pivotal role in another tangential story.
Mann plays Laura, George's one true love - the one he let slip away because of his many indiscretions. She's now in an unhappy marriage with two kids and comes to George's aid when she learns of his condition.
There are many cameos in the film from stand-up comics and musicians ranging form Eminem to James Taylor that are quick and to the point.
But as stated, the film drags, and drags itself down. Apatow's vision was a decent one, and Sandler goes back to the actor he showed us in "Punch-Drunk Love" rather than his usual sophomoric fare.
When the DVD comes out, I hope they have a "viewers' cut," where the movie is pared down to maybe an hour and 45 minutes. It could be much better.
Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield freelance writer and musician. He can be reached at info@wunderlesound.com.
