Seth Rogen: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked
5 Performances That Sucked...
5. Ira Wright - Funny People
Funny People was Judd Apatows 3rd feature length film as writer/director. What is notable about this film is that its Judds first foray into decidedly dramatic territory. It seeks to expose a bit of the dark underbelly of the stand-up comedy world by focusing on a comedian who, despite all of his success, is incredibly lonely. Oh, and he gets diagnosed with a disease that very well may kill him. The thought of a lonely death causes him to rethink everything and everyone in his life, including lost loves that somehow slipped away from him.
I really did enjoy this movie, mostly thanks to Adam Sandlers central performance. Seth Rogen, however, did not fare so well. Playing an awkwardly written character named Ira, Seth certainly tried his best with what was on the page but in the end didnt come across as anything more than a whiney, jealous doormat. His performance is extremely one-note and lacks anything beneath the surface. There are a few moments where he and Adam Sandler have fun together but when the film veers into the heavily dramatic material, Seth seems out of place, like he's almost in a different movie. Or wishing he was in one.
Seths worst qualities are brought out a bit too much for his character to be anything more than just an annoyance. Compared to Adam Sandler, who utterly commands the screen when he is present, Rogen comes across as being out of his element. It was definitely a stepping stone for Seth but this type of role may have been a little too much for him at that point in his career.