Honestly, the first time I sat through all 146 minutes of Judd Apatow Funny People, I walked out of the theater feeling like I’d just been through a break-up. It was long. It was uncomfortable. It didn't have the "feel-good" explosion of The 40-Year-Old Virgin. But here’s the thing—as the years have crawled by, this movie has aged better than almost any other comedy from the late 2000s.
It's a weird beast. You’ve got Adam Sandler playing George Simmons, a man who is basically an alternate-universe version of himself—a mega-star who made millions off high-concept, "stupid" comedies (think Merman or My Friend the Robot) but finds himself staring down a terminal leukemia diagnosis. It’s dark. Like, genuinely dark.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Runtime
Everyone complains about the length. 2 hours and 26 minutes for a comedy? It sounds like a prison sentence. Critics back in 2009, including Michael Phillips, famously called it "exasperating." But if you look at it as a "comedy," you’re missing the point. It’s a character study.
Apatow wasn’t trying to make a joke-a-minute riot. He was trying to capture the actual, sagging rhythm of a life in decline.
The movie is split into two distinct halves. The first is a gritty, "insider" look at the stand-up world where Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) becomes George’s assistant/writer/only friend. The second half—the one people usually hate—is the detour to Northern California to see George’s "one who got away," Laura (Leslie Mann).
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- The First Half: Fast, cynical, full of cameos (Eminem, Ray Romano, Sarah Silverman).
- The Second Half: Slow, domestic, messy, and deeply human.
Is it self-indulgent? Sure. Apatow cast his wife and his kids (Maude and Iris). He shot at the Improv where he and Sandler actually lived together in the 90s. But that’s what gives it that raw, "I’m putting my soul on the screen" energy. It feels like a home movie with a $75 million budget.
Why the George Simmons Character is Adam Sandler’s Best Work
Forget Uncut Gems for a second. In Judd Apatow Funny People, Sandler is doing something much more subtle. He’s playing a guy who knows he’s a jerk but can’t quite stop being one.
Even when George gets a second chance at life—spoiler: the experimental meds work—he doesn't suddenly become a saint. He tries to wreck Laura’s marriage to Clarke (an incredibly intense Eric Bana). He treats Ira like garbage. He’s narcissistic and bitter.
Apatow once said he had to "fabricate a much nastier character" than the mentors he actually knew, like Garry Shandling or Jim Carrey. He wanted to see what happens when a person is given a miracle and still chooses to be a "douchebag." It’s a brave choice for a star like Sandler.
The Sound of Mortality
The soundtrack is a massive part of why this movie sticks in your brain. It’s dripping with solo Beatles tracks—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo all show up.
There’s a specific inclusion of Warren Zevon’s "Keep Me in Your Heart," recorded while Zevon was actually dying of cancer. It’s heavy. It’s "grown-up" music for a movie about growing up way too late.
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The Box Office Failure and the Legacy
The movie was a "bomb" by Hollywood standards. It grossed about $71 million against a $75 million budget. Universal expected a massive hit because of the Sandler-Rogen pairing, but audiences weren't ready for a meditation on death.
But look at the cast now. You’ve got:
- Aubrey Plaza in one of her first major roles as Daisy.
- Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman providing the perfect "shitty roommate" B-plot.
- Aziz Ansari as the high-energy Randy.
It’s a time capsule of the "Apatow Mafia" at their absolute peak.
Is It Actually Funny?
Yeah, kinda. But it’s "cringe" funny. It’s the humor of a guy doing a stand-up set about his own death while the audience stares in horrified silence. If you go in expecting Billy Madison, you’ll hate it. If you go in expecting a James L. Brooks-style dramedy, it’s a masterpiece.
Honestly, the scene where George watches his "kids" (Maude and Iris) perform "Memory" from Cats is one of the most uncomfortable, beautiful things Apatow has ever filmed. It’s a man realizing he missed out on a family because he was too busy being a "funny person."
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Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re going to revisit Judd Apatow Funny People, do it with these things in mind:
- Watch the background: The fake movie posters in George’s house are hilarious satires of Sandler’s actual career.
- Focus on Seth Rogen: This is his most grounded performance. He’s the moral compass in a world that doesn’t have one.
- Listen to the stand-up: All the actors wrote their own sets. It’s not "movie comedy"; it’s actual, sweaty, club-level comedy.
- Pay attention to Eric Bana: His portrayal of the "macho" husband is surprisingly nuanced and not just a one-dimensional villain.
The next time you have a rainy Sunday and two and a half hours to kill, give it another shot. It’s a movie that demands you sit with the silence. It’s messy, it’s too long, and it’s arguably the most honest thing Judd Apatow ever made.