6. Funny People (2009)
A Seth Rogen and Adam Sandler comedy flick - written and directed by Judd Apatow, of all people - sounds like something that should have been hilarious, given that Apatow's previous two movies were
The 40-Year-Old Virgin and
Knocked Up, both of which starred Rogen to awesome effect, and that Sandler - who can be actually funny if he's given the right material - has been friends with Apatow since they were young comedians. Alas,
Funny People was more Woody Allen than audiences were probably expecting it to be. And by Woody Allen, I'm not talking about the "earlier, funny ones," but those movies that the neurotic icon made in the late '70s and '80s that blended drama and comedy into a seamless whole. I'm not sure that Apatow managed the "seamless" part here, given that - for much of its running time -
Funny People feels at odds with its own tone. The story, which concerns a shallow Hollywood A-lister who is diagnosed with cancer and comes to reevaluate his life - irked a few people, given that there were far less laughs in this movie than you might've hoped for. Despite the fact that it's far too long, though, Apatow's difficult third movie has its own rewards.