When you walk into a Judd Apatow movie there are a few things you should expect. The first is lots and lots of penis jokes. However, as this movie is about comedians, its not only accurate but the penis jokes are top notch. The second thing to expect is a Seth Rogen sighting. I understand that reactions to Rogen's acting are mixed, but in this movie, he is essentially playing himself and he does this very well. The third thing that Apatow always provides is a profound message and life lesson that forces its way past all the crude humor. Its this aspect of his movies that allows him to move beyond the hundreds of horrible teen sex comedies and into the realm of great movies.
In Funny People, Apatow explores death. Main character George Simmons (Adam Sandler, who does a great job) is confronted with his own death. In reflection on his own life, he realizes that he is utterly lonely. To cope he reaches out and makes a friend in comedian Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) and tries to reach out to lost love (Leslie Mann). The movie explores this journey as well as the change in life that death causes, when Simmons finds out his disease is cured. Its a hilarious yet profound movie. His best yet.
