(Un)Funny People

Actually, that’s not fair. Funny People is funny, but only in occasional moments that appear to be stolen from a superior movie, then smashed awkwardly into the most exasperating 2+ hours of film I’ve seen in a long, long time.

The film is essentially two movies in one, and that is the crux of the Funny People Problem. The central storyline –seasoned comic/asshole takes bright-eyed comic/neophyte under his wing as he journeys through the land of incurable disease – is cloaked in a tale about young, legitimately funny people paying their dues in comedy clubs and crappy TV shows. And the comedy is not the problem (although many of the funniest lines are simply stand-up captured on film, which, to this girl, does not equal filmmaking). The drama DRAGS. Adam Sandler’s dying-but-not-really celebrity and Seth Rogen’s gee-whiz apprentice both lack any nuance to make me care what happens to these characters. As it is, not only do I not like these fools, I have no desire to watch their misadventures. I’m not convinced the blame falls on the actors; these frustrating, flat characters and contrived plot points were doomed from the start. But the film’s single biggest offense is the third act, a tired attempt to add an additional layer of romance and conflict. It’s 100% unnecessary and adds a good 45 minutes to the too-long running time (2 hrs and 20 min!).

I could write many paragraphs about the many ways this film frustrated me, but there are plenty of reviews that have already done that, and that’s not what we’re all about at the ITMWAC blog (hmm, what a blah acronym). I fist saw this film as a cup of unappetizing Brussels sprout ice cream topped with delicious bits of candy, but Cold Stone has yet to make Brussels sprout ice cream, and I’m going to try to stay away from hypothetical creations. The execution was pretty half-baked, so Cake Batter might be an appropriate base. Of course, Cake Batter is by itself delicious, and this movie is not, so let’s call it Cake Batter accidentally left unrefrigerated overnight. The funny moments, courtesy of the supporting cast, are like candy sprinkled on top but not really integrated into the creation (and unable to save it).

Verdict: If this movie were a Cold Stone, it would be rancid Cake Batter with M&M’s and Oreos, inexpertly mixed by a trainee.