Product: Funny People
Rating: 4.0
Half funny, half offensive
Funny People stars Adam Sandler as an old pro comedian, along the lines of, say, Robin Williams, who learns that he has a fatal disease. Because of this diagnosis he decides to go back to his stand-up comedy roots and does a bitter and depressing impromptu set at The Comedy Club, which is where he got his start. While there he sees Seth Rogan, a newbie comic starting at the bottom of the ranks and working in a deli during the day. Sandler likes Rogen's set and asks the Rogen character to write jokes for him and be his assistant.The movie is fairly raunchy, both in the stuff that happens in the lives of the characters, and in the material they use on stage, so if you're easily offended, stay away. As a once-upon-a-time aspiring comedian, however, I found the look into the lives of beginning and old-time comedians educational. It felt to me that this is the way it probably is for a lot of comedians. There are Rogen's comedian roommates, Johah Hill and Jason Schwartzman, the latter having a lead role in a B-level sitcom (Yo, Teach!), the fame of which he uses to screw everything that moves (though he has a 10-day rule to give Rogen a chance, which makes me laugh, just thinking about it). Sandler has the same propensity for using his fame to his sexual advantage, which is probably why at this stage of his life he has no family and no friends, friend being another thing that could be added to Rogen's job description.There are tons of cameos including one by the glasses-wearing, Eminem, who bullies an innocent, just-standing-in-line Ray Romano.So, get it if you're a fan of stand-up or any of the actors (Leslie Mann is Sandler's old flame and Eric Bana is her new husband). Stay away if you're offended by lots of swearing, raunchy jokes and behavior, and an over-all lack of morals by most of the characters.