Funny People poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill ... see more see more... , Jason Schwartzman , Aubrey Plaza , RZA , Iris Apatow , Maude Apatow , Torsten Voges , Allan Wasserman , Aziz Ansari , James Taylor , Paul Reiser , Andy Dick , Ray Romano , Dave Attell , Sarah Silverman , Eminem

Judd Apatow casts his former real-life roommate Adam Sandler as George Simmons, a comic superstar who learns in the movie's opening scene that he suffers from a rare blood disorder that will likely ki... read more read more...ll him within a year. This news gives him the impulse to go back out and work on his standup, something he hasn't done in years thanks to the massive success of his movie career. At a club, he meets struggling standup Ira Wright (Seth Rogen), takes a shine to him, and hires the young man both to write jokes and to be his personal assistant. Ira, who's been sleeping on a friend's pull-out couch and working a day job at a deli, enjoys the glimpse into the superstar lifestyle, but soon the protégé discovers how selfish and egocentric his mentor really is. Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill, and a host of famous standup comics make cameo appearances as themselves. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Flixster Users

58% liked it

745,188 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

222 critics

R, 2 hr. 26 min.

Directed by: Jamie Uys, Judd Apatow

Release Date: July 31, 2009

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: November 24, 2009

Get It:

Stats: 26,054 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Leslie Mann Dog's Best Friend Adam Sandler Re-Do The Champion Funny People My Best Friend Is a Robot Funny People Funny People Funny People official film still Funny People MerMan Funny People promotional still Concord Records banner art funny people Funny People
Upload a Photo | View All Funny People Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (26,054)

  • fb1463751009
    March 9, 2012
    fb1463751009
    As always for all Judd Apatow movies, the screenplay is hilariously funny and witty. Many will say that this is Apatow's darker movie and is low on the amount of laughs, but within it is a non-Hollywood approach to portray and thoughtful and important message. I enjoyed this movi... read moree and some jokes hit the spot. I recommend watching this movie!
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    November 27, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    I was very much looking forward to seeing Funny People. When I did, I was very disappointed. The film though has some decent laughs, but unfortunately doesn't what it wants to be, and goes on longer than it needs to. The film had a few good performances, and at times was funny; u... read morenfortunately the film was too long and for the most part was very boring, and dull. I lost interest after a while; found Funny People to be quite a mediocre film. The length that this film goes on for is painful, and it's sufficient enough for anyone to lose interest. Halfway through the film the film becomes a drama and the comedy is kept at a minimum. This is a dramedy that just doesn't cut it. This is one of Judd Apatow's worst films in my opinion, and though it had a few comedic parts, Funny People proves that Adam Sandler is a talentless "comedian". Funny People really doesn't cut it, and falls flat overall. I think the film started strong overall, unfortunately halfway through the film, the film fell apart, and became a boring. This film is a perfect example of how filmmakers can't get a clue on how to effectively conclude a film, thus they added an additional hour that for me, anyways, was terrible and really didn't fit the film. The soul existence of the additional hour was to add a sense of drama to the film, and in the end, it didn't work, and it was pretty cheesy. This film would have been better if they trimmed an hour of footage and kept the film simply. Unfortunately by the films conclusion, Funny People is all over the place, and doesn't know whether it wants to be a comedy or drama, straight forward drama. I understand it's a dramedy, but this film was poorly conceived. In the end, it tries too hard at being a film that tries to blend two genres into one film and the results are very mediocre.
  • kenstachnik
    November 25, 2011
    kenstachnik
    Despite the title, Funny People isn't laugh out loud funny. It's more like a smile inducing drama. A good little drama about life, love and fame. In the same genre as Terms of Endearment...but not as good.
  • fb1664868775
    November 20, 2011
    fb1664868775
    In my opinion, this is Apatow's best film so far, though still hilarious this is much more mature kind of comedy.
  • theunknownhobo
    November 6, 2011
    theunknownhobo
    This movie seemed like three in one. On the surface on it, you have a tale of a quasi has been trying to change his life because of illness. A little deeper you have the story of a mentor and a wannabe trying to make it together in the tough world of stand up comedy. But deepest ... read moreof all you have semi-fabricated, somewhat false relationships that I for one didn't really care about. The film was far too long, seriously disjointed and although all of those movies may have been palatable on their own, together they were one jumbled mess that could not help but stumble over each other. Disappointing for the cast.
  • aquateen2
    October 30, 2011
    aquateen2
    It's not as good as The 40 Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up in terms of laughs and suprises and is even boring at times. Probably because its the only out of the 3 films Apatow has directed that is far, far, far too long, and the other's were very long too but they could keep me ent... read moreertained longer then I needed to be entertained. Because his film's last around 2 hours if not longer. Funny People is longer than 2 hours but despite its unnecesary length I was entertained for the majority of the film. Again good performances by the carefully picked cast particulary Adam Sandler. This is probably his best starring comedy film to date and of course Funny People is an appropriate title for sure.
  • blacksheepboy
    October 10, 2011
    blacksheepboy
    An uneven Apatow dramedy in which the first half is great but the second not really. The problem is that the story stretches for too long with many scenes that should have been left out in the edition room, leading to a serious lack of pace that bogs down the final result.
  • blkbomb
    August 5, 2011
    blkbomb
    Ira Wright: Do you ever get tired of singing the same songs, you know, over and over? 
    James Taylor: Do you ever get tired of talking about your dick? 

    I'm one of the few people who aren't polarized by Adam Sandler. Most people either hate him or love him. I fit into neither of ... read morethose categories. Most of his movies I find watchable, but not very good. I've only loved two of his movies, Punch Drunk Love and Funny People. The easy way of knowing if an Adam Sandler movie is going to be good is by listening to his fans. People who love his form of comedy and go into Punch Drunk Love and Funny People are going to be disappointed because normal routine is gone. These two movies also show that he isn't a horrible actor; he can act, when he chooses to. Obviously it's easier for him to just pick some ridiculous dumb comedy that is accessible to a main stream audience and children can watch.

    Now, Funny People does a have a few moments where Sandler's normal acting style does come into play. But when it does, he's kind of spoofing himself, if that's possible. In the movie he plays a comedian and actor who makes a bunch of stupid movies(any connections here). Only when these movies are brought up do we see his typical brand of humor and in a way it feels like he's making fun of himself. 

    This movie is probably way to serious for the diehard Sandler fans and possibly the diehard Apatow fans. When I first saw it I was really shocked at how serious it was. I, like everyone else, was expecting another dumb Sandler movie. What I got was much different and a really good film.

    The supporting cast is terrific. Seth Rogen plays a really likable character. Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill have good roles. There's a million cameos, including: Eminem, James Taylor and Andy Dick. What really surprises me about this movie most is how beautifully shot it is. The cinematography is brilliant and not what you'd expect from a Sandler vehicle. 

    Even if you're not a fan of Sandler, this is one of his two films that I would still suggest watching. I'm not going to say it changed the film industry or anything like that, but it was a  funny comedy and at times an emotional and touching drama.
  • fb729949618
    July 31, 2011
    fb729949618
    This movie has it's bumps. It goes and then stalls, then goes and then stalls again.....this goes on for 2 and a half hours.
  • fb100001048934982
    June 27, 2011
    fb100001048934982
    A lot of people may be turned off by Judd Apatow's 'Funny People', and its because they'll enter the theater or the disc with some certain expectations. I know I did. This is not a typical Apatow comedy. He displays his common comedic experience here, but also shows off a conside... read morerable amount of dramatic material, using Adam Sandler's versatile acting chops (also displayed in Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Punch Drunk Love') to his advantage. The cast tries its hardest to uphold a shaky final third, however to no avail. Its maturity may not be welcome to most Apatow fans, and the comedy isn't ripe enough to make up for it. Apatow fans may leave disappointed.

View All Funny People Reviews

Critic Reviews

Laremy Legel
May 6, 2011
Laremy Legel, Film.com

Funny People is funny, moving, dramatic, and alternately hilarious. It's a bit like a stand-up dramedy. Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards
August 25, 2009
Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com

The good parts of this movie are often wonderful, but Apatow never finds the rhythm to keep it going. It lurches from inspiration to inspiration, but always manages to muddy its feet in mediocrity in ... Full Review

Cliff Doerksen
August 20, 2009
Cliff Doerksen, Chicago Reader

Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) takes some interesting chances in this messy but engaging comedy, which suggests he may yet mature (no, seriously) into a filmmaker of substance. Full Review

Ben Mankiewicz
August 3, 2009
Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies

It walks a perfectly fine line between being funny and tragic. Full Review

Ben Lyons
August 3, 2009
Ben Lyons, At the Movies

Apatow has always found a balance of heart and humor in his best films, and Funny People is no exception. Full Review

Michael Phillips
July 31, 2009
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

The film comes dangerously close to stalling, however, once George and Ira visit George's ex, stuck in an untrustworthy marriage. By the time Ira implores 'Can we just go?' you feel the same way. Full Review

Colin Covert
July 31, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

It's great that Apatow aimed for something more substantial than a disposable chucklefest. Too bad the film falls so short of the mark. Full Review

Kyle Smith
July 31, 2009
Kyle Smith, New York Post

In going for a rethink of All That Jazz with comedy instead of Broadway, Judd Apatow's Funny People turns out to be one of the most absorbing films of the year. Full Review

Betsy Sharkey
July 31, 2009
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

Sandler and Rogen and the rest are left to wander aimlessly, with tedious comedy gigs, an even more tedious faux sitcom and relatively vapid relationships masquerading as a plot. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
July 31, 2009
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

The funny thing is, though, that Funny People is, well, funny. It's also richly layered with complicated people and a mad collection of celebrity cameos from Eminem to Andy Dick. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Knocked Up
    Knocked Up (94%)
  • Grown Ups
    Grown Ups (94%)
  • The Other Woman
    The Other Woman (96%)
  • Tropic Thunder
    Tropic Thunder (54%)

More Movies like Funny People

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Clarke: Underneath anger is hurt,. but underneath hurt is love.
    • George Simmons: I don't really have any friends. You're my best friend, and I don't even like you!
    • George Simmons: So I'm guessing your friend is the fat version of you.
    • George Simmons: Are you mad that you died at the end of Die Hard?
  • On the movie 'Funny People' (2009), there is an obvious mistake on 1:15:39 until 1:15:57. Within these 18 seconds, the actress is holding a glass in her right hand, when they show her from a front angle. From the back angle she is not holding any g... read morelass in her right hand. In the next frame she puts down the glass when they switch the angle of the camera. From the back, she is holding nothing, and then the final frontal frame she puts down the glass again!
  • In the movie 'Funny People' (2009) at 18:40 into the DVD, Leo Koenig (Actor Jonah Hill) is watching a clip on his computer, he put up of himself on Youtube on 'Cute Cuddly Kittens' - it actually IS on Youtube!

    The only difference is that the 'vie... read morews' was altered to be suitable for the scene. It was 712,584 views in the movie scene.
Submit a Fact | View All

Funny People : Watch Free on TV

Funny People Trivia

  • "Love Actually" gave us a series of inter-related peeks into the lives of different people preparing to celebrate the Christmas Holidays. While some of the stories were funny, some were sad, but all of them involved love in one of its many faces. Who played the newly elected British Prime Minister?  Answer »
  • What did Cartmen From South Park See that was so funny, He blew a "funny fuse"  Answer »
  • Ricky Gervais is very funny. Possibly the funniest person alive today and maybe as high as number 7 on the list of funniest people ever to have lived on the planet. In 2006 he made an appearance in what film starring what's left of Ben Stiller?  Answer »
  • Im always playing funny roles so some people forget that ive gotten into fights with Jim Carrey in the Bathroom Charlie Sheen in Hawaii and some thugs in a village   Answer »
More Funny People Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Funny People Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Funny People to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Funny People News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?