Funny People

Judd Apatow and Adam Sandler, this could be the perfect combination or too much good stuff. Luckily, Sandler seems to have come to the show as an actor who was ready to embrace the close to home role.

Sandler plays the very successful and self-involved stand-up comedian George Simmons who learns that he has an incurable blood disorder and is given less than a year to live. One night he catches Ira Wright's (Seth Rogen - a struggling up-and-coming stand-up comedian) show and decides to hire him as a personal assistant and opening act. George and Ira form a close bond as George helps Ira with his act and Ira helps George deal with the fact that he is dying. Here is where the plot takes a big twist, George finds out he is going to live. This inspires him to get back with an old flame (Leslie Mann) and re-evaluate his empty life.

While Sandler's character is the center of the story, it is the supporting characters, played by Seth Rogin, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwatzman that keep the movie fresh and interesting. As up and comers in the Hollywood world, they are more mature douche bags than we have seen in previous Apatow flicks, but basically still the same guys. Their interaction with Sandler as the star they all want to be seems very believable and makes this movie work. There are also several cameos that are priceless, the best being a rant from Eminem when he goes off on Ray Romano for looking at him at a party.