Funny People

"George Simmons was prepared to die, but then a funny thing happened."

2009 2h 26m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 1,480

ComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Famous and wealthy funnyman George Simmons doesn't give much thought to how he treats people until a doctor delivers stunning health news, forcing George to reevaluate his priorities with a little help from aspiring stand-up comic Ira.

“George Simmons was prepared to die, but then a funny thing happened.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Adam Sandler
George Simmons
Seth Rogen
Ira Wright
Leslie Mann
Laura
Eric Bana
Clarke
Jonah Hill
Leo Koenig
Jason Schwartzman
Mark Taylor Jackson
Aubrey Plaza
Daisy Danby
RZA
Chuck

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Judd Apatow
Writers: Judd Apatow
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $75M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 95% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 17 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Judd Apatow, shot by Janusz Kamiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Michael Andrews. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Craig Alpert shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "George Simmons was prepared to die, but then a funny thing happened.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Judd Apatow directs. Janusz Kamiński behind the camera. Michael Andrews scores. Craig Alpert cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $75M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Earned back only 95% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 17 years ago.
4Directed by Judd Apatow, shot by Janusz Kamiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Michael Andrews. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Craig Alpert shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "George Simmons was prepared to die, but then a funny thing happened.".
9IMDB entry: tt1201167 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński
Original score: Michael Andrews
Editing: Craig Alpert
Production design: Jefferson Sage
Costume design: Nancy Steiner
Makeup / hair: Kimberly Greene
Sound: Scott Millan
Stunt coordinator: Gary Hymes
Runtime: 146 min · 2h 26m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $75,000,000
Box office: $71,600,000
Return: 95% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Funny People (2009)

Also by

Judd Apatow

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Community reviews

What people are saying

tmdb476334912018-05-04
★ 8/10
JUDD'S BEST MOVIE DON'T @ ME BETTER THAN LA DOLCE VITA DON'T @ ME
Kamurai2020-10-04
★ 7/10
Really good watch, would watch again, and can recommend. I don't know if it's that Adam Sandler is playing a dying character, or that Seth Rogan is miserable, that the idea of being a professional comedian is especially appealing, or that they just did a fine job mixing a serious situation with a lot of comedy while mixing in some showcase of humanity, particularly human values. There are a couple of really good "finding self" tropes in this. It's good to see "behind the curtain" of comedy. The cast is excellent, and not because he strayed from his typical Happy Madison group, but just that they clearly know what it is to be those people and were able to give excellent deliveries. Anytime you're dealing with a "character is dying" trope, it has to be handled a very particular way, and usually that is overly serious ("The Fault in Our Stars"), but adding humor allows the story to be more palatable ("Stranger Than Fiction"), but it requires extreme balance to not trivialize the death of the character ("Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"), and without being fantastic, this does an very good job of finding that balance, just with more "dick and fart" jokes. I think this is a good watch for anyone who likes stand up or follows comedic actors (such as SNL actors).
Andre Gonzales2023-05-17
★ 6/10
Weird movie. Not really sure of the point of the movie. But there just a weird comedy. 2 stand up comedians out for some fun I guess.