Review of Funny People

FUNNY PEOPLE (2009) ** Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, RZA, Aziz Ansari, Torsten Voges. (Cameos as themselves: James Taylor, Eminem, Andy Dick, Charles Fleischer, Paul Reiser, George Wallace, Norm MacDonald, Dave Attell, Sarah Silverman, Ray Romano) Misfire dramedy with Sandler as a self-centered jerk comedian whose life-threatening illness comes into focus as he attempts to re-connect with an old flame (Mann) with the help of his new assistant and sudden best friend (Rogen), and up-and-coming comic wannabe falls flat on so many levels in both genres: drama and comedy; not really absorbing as the former and very seldom funny as the latter). While comedy king Judd Apatow attempts something different he misses the mark completely: entertaining. The film is neither and painfully again the comedy is mostly a mélange of dick jokes trying to fade out the 'heavy drama' at hand. Heavy-handed instead and the fact that a corral of big-time comedians are given senseless cameos providing them nothing to do except smile and nod.