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Funny People

Funny People

Comedy · Drama · 2009

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.

Movie details

Funny People

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

2009 Comedy · Drama 2h 26m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Funny People?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

CQ

CQ

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Mr. Saturday Night

Mr. Saturday Night

Comedy · 1992

Buddy Young was the comic's comic, beloved by everyone. Now, playing to miniscule crowds in nursing homes, it seems like everybody but Buddy realizes that he should retire. As Buddy looks for work in show business, he realizes that the rest of the world has forgotten the golden days of Buddy Young, and that there just may not be room in the business for an old comic like himself.

Magic Mike XXL

Magic Mike XXL

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Three years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, he and the remaining Kings of Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow-out performance.

Choke

Choke

Comedy · 2008

A sex-addicted con-man pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.

SubUrbia

SubUrbia

Comedy · 1997

A group of suburban teenagers try to support each other through the difficult task of becoming adults.

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Comedy · 1969

After returning to Los Angeles from a group therapy session, documentary filmmaker Bob Sanders and his wife, Carol, find themselves becoming vigilante couples counselors, offering unsolicited advice to their best friends, Ted and Alice Henderson. Not wanting to be rude, the Hendersons play along, but some latent sexual tension among the four soon comes bubbling to the surface, and long-buried desires don't stay buried for long.

Standing Up, Falling Down

Standing Up, Falling Down

Comedy · 2020

An unlikely friendship kindles between a struggling stand-up comedian from L.A. — forced to move back home to Eastern Long Island with his tail between his legs — and a tragically flawed, but charming and charismatic, alcoholic dermatologist. Discovering to be kindred spirits, each helps the other find healing, in addition to the confidence to face the "failures" in their lives.

White Men Can't Jump

White Men Can't Jump

Comedy · 2023

Seemingly opposite street hoopers, Jeremy, an injury prone former star, and Kamal, a has-been prodigy, team up to take one final shot at living out their dreams.

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

Comedy · 2018

In a life full of triumph and failure, "National Lampoon" co-founder Doug Kenney built a comedy empire, molding pop culture in the 1970s.

SLC Punk

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Comedy · 1998

Two former geeks become 1980s punks, then party and go to concerts while deciding what to do with their lives.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Judd Apatow

Written by

Judd Apatow

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler

George Simmons

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen

Ira Wright

Leslie Mann

Leslie Mann

Laura

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

Clarke

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill

Leo Koenig

Jason Schwartzman

Jason Schwartzman

Mark Taylor Jackson

Aubrey Plaza

Aubrey Plaza

Daisy Danby

Court is in session

Put Funny People on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.