FUNNY PEOPLE
US, 2009, 146 minutes, Colour.
Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza, Maud Apatow, Iris Apatow, RZA, James Taylor.
Directed by Judd Apatow.
While watching Funny People, I remembered my reaction thirty years ago to seeing Bob Fosse's All that Jazz, a memoir of an egocentric choreographer facing terminal illness and coming to terms (with great difficulty) with his life. It was an uncomfortable experience, even alienating. But, the film was so well made that I needed to see it again – and realised that it was an excellent film. The reason for remembering the reaction to All that Jazz was that it recurred while watching Funny People. But, this time I was ready. The film was uncomfortable. It had quite some edge because of the terminal illness theme and the re-assessment of life as well as the careers of stand-up comedians and how their stage personality related to their real selves as well as the topics they chose for humour – so much of them put-down, so much self-assertion, so much self and bodily parts focused and an obsession with four letter words.
This is a very well-made film with a subtle performance from Adam Sandler (who has not always been subtle), a self-deprecatingly wry performance from Seth Rogen (who as writer and actor is far more accomplished in real life than the schmucks he plays) and an attempt by writer, Judd Apatow, to combine the surface stand-up comedy with an exploration by a middle-aged comic of the worth and worthlessness of his life. And, asking the question: if we have a life-threatening experience, does our response to it make us better people or are we always the same?
Judd Apatow has directed two raunchy comedies that began with leer and finished with some depth of feeling, especially about commitment: The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. He has produced quite a number of comedies with the same Apatow syndrome, the arc of raunch to respectable, including one with Sandler, You don't Mess with the Zohan.
At the beginning of their careers, Apatow and Sandler roomed together. Sandler went along the success path that his character, George Simmons, follows. Apatow, on the other hand, was not so effective on stage and went on to successful writing, producing and directing, the path that Ira Wright, Seth Rogen's character, will eventually pursue. Apatow had mentors in his younger days, so constructs his story with Sandler as the older man and Rogen as the eagerly hopeful would-be comic in his 20s.
It is easy to underestimate Sandler as an actor because of his goofy slapstick comedies. But, in films like Punch Drunk Love, Click and Reign Over Me, he has shown more versatility than expected and here he shows understated emotion (as in his scenes where he learns of his illness and, to the other extreme, where he mocks his ex-wife's daughter's rendition of Memories while everyone else is tearful).
Rogen is a strong comedian but also knows when to play second fiddle while still developing a strong character.
Apatow's wife, Leslie Mann, is the ex-wife and their daughters portray her daughters. She is married to a gauche Australian (Eric Bana with his real accent – more or less). Apatow regular Jonah Hill is a room-mate (and as always demonstrates a strong sense of timing for jokes). Jason Schwartzman is another room-mate who is the star of a cable channel comedy which seems as bad as it sounds, Yo Teach!
Quite a number of stand-up comedians have cameo roles as themselves.
Interestingly, American audiences did not get the film. Probably expecting knockabout comedy, they found the combination of stand-up and illness experience not to their expectations or taste (not that a lot of the crass humour of stand-up will be to everyone's taste either). Yet, Funny People, because it is uncomfortable and has a lot of edge, is a challenging comic film about life and death and meanings.
1.Stand-up comics, comedy, performance, the performers in real life, motivations and driving force? Comic and serious treatment?
2.Judd Apatow, his films and reputation, humour? His personal experience, stand-up comedy, writing? Insight, portrait of comics, critique?
3.The theme of terminal illness and its effect? Changing someone’s life and perspective? Not? Offering opportunities for change as well as reassessment?
4.Adam Sandler as a comedian, stand-up comic, performance, funny, serious? The contrast with Seth Rogen, his stand-up comedy style? The age of each performer? The range of the cast, the variety of cameos and guest stars, including Justin Long, Ray Romano?
5.Stand-up comedy and its format, the stage, spotlight, microphone, the audience and their expectations, intervening, applause or booing? The jokes, the deadpan style, the themes of the jokes, preoccupation with sex and bodily functions and bodily parts? Issues of taste, wit?
6.The Los Angeles settings, the improvisation clubs, the venues, homes, luxury homes, the contrast with ordinary apartments? Diners and the workplace? Doctors’ surgeries? The comparison with San Francisco, homes? The musical score, the songs?
7.The title, the irony of the title and the characters? The reality of funny people?
8.George Simmons in himself, his age, career, the range of movies, the selection of posters and photos around the house, the clips? On stage, his rapport with people? The fans, the photo opportunities – even when he had received the news about his illness? Success, smug, his life, relationships, sexual relationships, exploitation?
9.The doctor, giving the information, Sandler’s interpretation of George hearing this news and absorbing it? The nature of the disease? The direct information from the doctor? The effect on George, how to take this, the experiences with the fans, the differences? The perspective on his life? Ringing his ex-wife, wanting to get her reaction? Her being one of the people who would understand him? His sitting and watching the variety of monitors, his comic career, his life before him?
10.Ira, working in the diner, his ambitions to be a stand-up comic, testing his reactions with Chuck, persuading Chuck and his wife to come to the performance – and the semi-failure of the performance? Leo and Mark as his roommates? Writing material? Rehearsing, testing out his routines, seeking opportunities for jokes? The auditions? Mark, his TV show, flaunting his money? Leo and his attempt to become a stand-up comic? The strength of their friendship, testing it? Leo and his successful delivery of jokes? His performances – better than Ira?
11.George, his listening to Ira? Encountering him, the car hemmed in and Ira's reactions to George? George phoning him? Ira not telling Leo about the invitation? Ira meeting George, the nature of the encounter, George bluntly telling him about his illness, Ira's reaction? George’s reaction to Ira, a younger version of himself or not? Ira continually trying to please? Writing, the jokes, the routines? George’s sometimes indifferent reaction, sometimes praise? Going out with George, the date, the girls, George bringing them back, Ira and his reserve with the girls? George’s promiscuity? Ira and his infatuation with Daisy, Daisy’s visits, deadpan, her being a stand-up comic? His reaction, the proposal of the date, his disappointing her, her wanting half the money back? Her being with Mark, Ira's sense of betrayal?
12.Mark, the television show, the scenes, people watching them on television (Laura’s daughters and their comments)? Leo appearing as a guest in the show? Ira and his relationship with Mark, the sense of betrayal with Daisy? Mark and his cavalier attitudes, the ten days? Leo and his being upset to find that George had invited him as well as Ira? Resolving their difficulties?
13.George and his performances, sending Ira in before him, using his jokes, Ira and improvisation, George’s negative reactions to using some of the material? George as lonely, Ira having to sit with him before he went to sleep? Assessing his life, thinking?
14.The visit to the doctor, the jokes about his sounding like a Nazi? The doctor and his reactions? The talk, the reactions? The tests, the news of his recovery, his response?
15.Laura, her past relationship with George, the twelve years, the phone call and her hanging up on him, her concern about his health? Her marriage, her life, her children, her husband? The visit, the attraction? The story of Clarke and his affairs? The children, George and Ira visiting, Ira minding the children, playing with them? George not telling the truth to Laura? Their going out, the sexual encounter, the repercussions? The concert, Ira telling her the truth? Her reaction? Clarke and his sudden arrival home? Full of enthusiasm? Welcoming George, Ira?
16.The girls, wise and observant, the singing of the song from Cats, George and his gauche reaction? Insensitive? The effect on Laura?
17.Clarke, the Australian background, going to China, his love for his daughters, the effect of the trips, jovial, the little girl telling the truth about George, his reaction, the fight?
18.Laura going to the airport, wanting to separate from Clarke? Ira and his hurrying to the airport, their reactions at seeing him? Laura and her choices?
19.George sacking Ira? Ira going back to his life, with Chuck at the diner? His effort, trying to get auditions, the issue of money, writing the jokes? With Leo and Mark?
20.George’s visit to the diner, Ira going to sit at the table with him, their exchanging jokes, laughing? How had George changed – or had he changed?
21.A film with edge, uncomfortable issues and themes, life and death, the meaning of life?
