Saturday, April 10, 2010

Funny People (2009)



His film career started with Going Overboard (1989), a movie set in a cruise ship teeming with Panamanian mercenaries, Miss Universe contestants and arthritic, aging tourists. What followed is a long chain of ugly, undeniably horrible movies: Shakes the Clown (1991), Airheads (1994), and The Waterboy (1998).

Last year, Adam Sandler surprised everyone by doing Funny People, a movie unlike his previous works. Sandler plays
George Simmons, an obnoxious, self-serving comedienne who — despite his life-threatening illness — still finds time to offend people.

“It's too early to know who's winning the fight,” Dr. Lars declares. “The medicine or the disease.”

George frowns. “Did anybody ever tell you, you have a very scary accent?”

“You are a very funny man,” Lars smiles. “I enjoy your movies.”

“And I enjoy all of your movies,” George answers.

“Which movies?”

“The ones where you try to kill Bruce Willis.”

Sandler shines in scenes like this and sucks in weepy, three-hankie sequences. Luckily, Funny People plays to Sandlers’ strength.

Writer-director Judd Apatow allowed Sandler, Seth Rogen (Ira Wright) and Jonah Hill (Leo Koenig) to do stand-up comedy with an actual live audience. They improvised and kept the punchlines rolling till the audience fell on the floor, laughing their uterus (and kidneys) out.

“I masturbate with hand cream I forget people use it for shit other than masturbating,” Ira declares.

The audience cheers.

Funny People isn’t just about green jokes and snide one-liners (“It's not my fault your grandpa is playing backgammon with Hitler!” Leo shouts). It has quiet, tender moments too, like the supermarket scene and George’s stand-up routine in the beginning.

“George Simmons will be gone,” he reveals. “And he's not going to miss any of you. We've always had a strained relationship. You wanted too much from me, and I'm very mad at you.”

It's disturbing how the line between reason and humor gets fuzzy in Funny People.
Even though George is dead serious, the audience claps and laughs like there's no tomorrow.

28 comments:

ShatterShards said...

I didn't know about this film. I think the last film with Sandler I saw as Spanglish, and I wasn't able to appreciate it, owing to the poor quality of the pirate dvd.

VICTOR said...

It sounds like this is bound to be one of those movies I would quote frequently in friendly conversations. But first, to actually see it. LOL.

Visual Velocity said...

ShatterShards: I haven't seen Spanglish, but do try to watch Funny People. It's not mind-blowing, but for a Sandler flick, it's okay. :)

Visual Velocity said...

victor: Hell yeah, Funny People is a gold mine for quotes. Wait, let me give you some:

George Simmons: So, Ira Wright? That's not your real name. You're hiding some Judaism.
Ira Wright: I don't think I can hide that. My face is circumcised.

Crazy film, man oh man. :D

The Scud said...

i had a fun time watching waterboy as a teenager nyahaha.

my favorite adam sandler movie is still punch drunk love. then spanglish. the third is a toss-up between the wedding singer or funny people.

Visual Velocity said...

The Scud: Napanood ko rin ata Punch Drunk Love, pero for some reason, hindi ko talaga matandaan kung tungkol saan yung movie. Umaatake nanaman pagka-ulyanin ko. :D

Axel said...

ipapalabas pa lang toh?? hmmm, interesting ah..

Visual Velocity said...

Axel: I'm not sure kung ipapalabas dito. Sa bootleg mo na lang panoorin. :)

Axel said...

ganun ba, anu naman yung bootleg na yun??

Visual Velocity said...

Axel: Pirated DVD (aka davidee-davidee). :)

Axel said...

naku hindi ako mahilig sa pirated DVD.. bad yun..

may download naman eh.. lolz

Visual Velocity said...

Axel: Ay, mas bad yang download kasi paminsan may kasamang virus. Heheh

Axel said...

may anti-virus naman eh.. =P

Visual Velocity said...

Axel: May point ka jan... makapag download nga. :p

Raft3r said...

judd apatow why does he sounds so familiar?
ma-google nga

btw, panalo yun mastubation line
hehe

happy weekend, andy!

Visual Velocity said...

Raft3r: Basta masturbation joke, walang kupas. :D

jayclops said...

i actually like Funny People Ands. I think its my comedy of 2009. id give it to the touchy-feely coms last year. Adventureland was also good.

Visual Velocity said...

jayclops: Funny People is actually okay. The script is good, I just don't like Adam Sandler.

Raft3r said...

di ko masyado trip pang ang komedyante biglang nagdrama o kaya yun nagdradrama biglang nagpapatawa
dapat isa-isa lang ang forte
hehe

Visual Velocity said...

Raft3r: Oo nga, kaya nga naguguluhan ako kay Bonsai. Paiba-iba ng hair-do. Paminsan muka siyang kabote, paminsan muka siyang elemental. Nakaka-lito tuloy na nakaka-stress. :D

ahmer said...

I need this kind of movie right now...

Visual Velocity said...

ahmer: Hehe, yeah, me too! :)

jayclops said...

i really liked funny people. remember that scene where leslie mann is faking Eric Bana's Aussie accent. she's just so friggin' hilarious in that.

Visual Velocity said...

jayclops: Yeah, plenty of priceless moments there, haha. Funny People is one of Sandler's decent movies (and there's not a whole lot of them there).

jayclops said...

waterboy is among one of my favorite adam sandler movies. im still about to watch punch drunk love.

Visual Velocity said...

jayclops: Saw Bronson last night! I like!

jayclops said...

tom hardy is naked all the time! haha

Visual Velocity said...

jayclops: That's why I like it. Just kidding. lol