Judd Apatow hopes to dive into the deep end with Funny People (2009), a semi-autobiographical tale set around the stand-up comedy circuit and about Ira Wright (Seth Rogen), a bumbling amateur, and George Simmons (Adam Sandler), a famous comedian who suddenly discovers he’s terminal. Faced with his own mortality — one problem he can’t joke his way out of, George takes Ira under his wing, mentoring and helping him cultivate his routine. He also tracks down Laura (Leslie Mann), a lost love, and tries to repair their relationship. Although Funny People offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the pressures and price of stand-up and a diverting slew of celebrity cameos, it ultimately falls flat because Sandler doesn’t possess the dramatic traction needed to convincingly pull off his character's evolution, and he and Apatow have trouble balancing cancer with comedy. Nevertheless, it is still an ambitious effort, especially since Apatow’s specific brand of humor makes it difficult for him to venture into darker waters. He might alienate his frat boy fans by leaving the kiddie pool. (Liesl Swanbeck)
Opens Nationwide on Friday, July 31st.
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