Netflix Movie Review: "This Is 40" (2012)

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Movie: "This Is 40"
Director: Judd Apatow
Year: 2012
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 14 minutes

Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are turning 40 and starting to realize their life isn't turning out how they imagined. Their businesses are failing, their kids fight all the time, and they are financially struggling. All these problems are starting to put a strain on their relationship. 

After a surprisingly hilarious and unconventional romantic-ish comedy in "Knocked Up," Judd Apatow returns to direct what should have been the sequel called "This is 40." Seemingly doomed from the start since neither Seth Rogen nor Katherine Heigl return for this installment, instead, this movie shifts its focus from that particular couple and their new baby to Heigl's movie sister Debbie, played by Apatow's real life wife Leslie Mann, and her husband Pete, played by Paul Rudd, and their 2 daughters. What an unfortunate choice this turned out to be.

Judd Apatow's indirect sequel is all about the relationship between this husband and wife, who are both approaching 40 years in age, are running struggling businesses, are having problems with their kids, as well as the strain all of this puts on their relationship. Unfortunately, "This is 40" falls way, way, way short of its predecessor in terms of laughs. Paul Rudd is still as lovable and as sarcastic as ever, and he's really the only good part about this movie. Rudd has this dickish charm we adore. Even when he's saying not so nice things, he's still moderately endearing. Leslie Mann does her insecure/sometimes loud/insulting style of humor for the thousandth time. The problem with this on-screen couple is we didn't really believe their chemistry in the first film, so when the focus shifted to them as the main characters, it became even more apparent these two individuals should never have been leads. There's really no spark between them, and when they are going through their darkest hours together, all we could think of was "we hope they get divorced, especially for the sake of their kids."

Even with returning supporting cast members like Jason Segel and Charlene Yi, something doesn't ever quite click for "This Is 40." It's not completely devoid of humor. There are laughs spattered throughout the film, but there's not enough of them to make us feel like the film as a whole was worth the over 2 hours we invested in watching it. And speaking of time, this movie is far too long for a comedy, clocking in at 2 hours and 14 minutes. As Pete and Debbie crest 40, both of them are going through what appear to be midlife crises, and each minute wears on the audience as they find something new to complain about loudly and crassly every 5 seconds. Its slow pacing really makes it feel even longer than it is.

What "This Is 40" boils down to is a series of missed opportunities. It's all about a couple who seems completely miserable in their lives and with each other. Even in "Knocked Up," Pete and Debbie seemed miserable. Now, years later, it doesn't appear that it has gotten any better for them. The people online who have called this movie "lighthearted" must have been smoking crack because we're hard-pressed to think of a more shrill movie couple from the last few years. This movie doesn't really do or say anything new. It's just more of the same old Judd Apatow-inspired comedy, only this time, we didn't enjoy it. Stick to its predecessor.

My Rating: 4.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 4.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 51%
Do we recommend this movie: No.

Movie Review: "Funny People" (2009)

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Movie: "Funny People"
Director: Judd Apatow
Year: 2009
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 26 minutes

Actor and comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler) has just recently been diagnosed with a rare blood disease. With only an 8% chance of recovery, George starts to face his mortality and reflect on his life. Despite being rich and successful, he feels like his life is empty, having no real friends and having destroyed most relationships that meant anything to him over the course of his life. He decides to go back on the stand-up comedy circuit and hires an up-and-coming comedian named Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to write jokes for him. Ira becomes the closest thing George has to a friend in his most desperate times, but if he is not careful, George may burn that bridge, too.

"Funny People" is the third film from director Judd Apatow, who previously directed the two smash hit comedies "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up." Despite its title, "Funny People" marks a far more dramatic turn for Apatow. Though many of his films are comedies with dramatic undertones, this is really a drama at heart, it just so happens to be about comedians. The story revolves around an actor and comedian named George Simmons, played by Apatow's real life friend and former roommate Adam Sandler, who gets diagnosed with a rare blood disease and comes face-to-face with his own mortality. Now that he is sick, he is looking to mend the bridges he has burned over the curse of his life as he takes a young comedian named Ira, played by Seth Rogen, under his wing. George hires Ira to write jokes for him as he embarks on a resurgence of his stand-up comedy. Along the way, Ira becomes more than just George's employee and actually serves as his only true friend for most of the film, but that doesn't stop George from pushing Ira away and treating him like crap every chance he gets.

The character of George Simmons is written to be very much like the real Adam Sandler. George makes stupid movies that are very, very popular and have made him exorbitantly rich, and George knows his movies are vacuous pieces of idiotic crap, but does them anyway because he likes the money. This is exactly how we think Sandler feels about his own films, but hey, money! If Sandler differs from George in any way, we'd imagine Sandler to be a much nicer person in real life than the on-screen character of George, considering how loyal Sandler has been to his friends in keeping them gainfully employed via the aforementioned cinematic crapfests. Seth Rogen's Ira is a character we're sure other comedians can relate to as he is a struggling up-and-coming stand-up comic that writes his own jokes and is just attempting to make it in a town where there are dozens of comedians on every block. Ira has a moral compass not shared by his fellow comedians or his roommates. He typically tries to do what he thinks is right, often with disastrous results. The acting in "Funny People" is actually pretty solid, even from the likes of Sandler, who has shown he can still be a capable actor from time to time when he isn't doing his typical routine. Seth Rogen is also good as Ira, and though he plays mostly to type as a goofy comedian, the roles for both of these men are somehow much deeper than we anticipated. Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, and Aubrey Plaza all star as more minor characters and do good job in their supporting roles. There is also a slew of fun cameos from various comedians that pop up briefly throughout the film, and it's fun to point them out as they are paraded on screen.

Where this movie struggles is partially in its marketing. A movie starring the likes of Seth Rogen, Adam Sandler, Leslie Mann, and Jonah Hill, directed by Judd Apatow? Most mainstream audiences probably assumed this would be a Rogen or Sandler-style stoner comedy raunch-fest, only to discover this is actually a far more mature drama about terminal illness, regret, struggle, and relationships as a whole. We saw this movie many years ago when we weren't so forgiving and disliked it because we felt deceived by all of the above factors. In an effort to be unbiased, we watched "Funny People" again and liked it a little bit more this time around. Having gone through many big life changes and events over the past 7 years since we saw it last, we are able to have a better understanding of George's point of view and why he does the things he does. We also come to sympathize more with Ira for taking the brunt of George's abuse while he's sick. Unfortunately, the film is atrociously paced. "Funny People" is already long to begin with at 146 minutes, so when you add on a horrible pace, it feels closer to 292 minutes long. Chances are, the film will lose you somewhere between the second and third act. There comes a point where we thought things were finally wrapping up and coming to an appropriate end, and then we noticed the movie still had more than an hour left to go. It's slower than a three-legged turtle.

In the end, "Funny People" will draw you in with its surprisingly great acting from Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen, only to lose you with its awful pacing. Apatow loves his elongated films, but we feel like this one didn't really need the embellishment at the end. Any moving moments are offset by the extra, unnecessary ones. This movie had the potential to be a lot better, but it seems like the ball got dropped just a little bit when touched with an overzealous, heavy-handed Apatow.

My Rating: 6/10
BigJ's Rating: 5.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 68%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

Movie Review: "The 40 Year Old Virgin" (2005)

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Movie: "The 40 Year Old Virgin"
Director: Judd Apatow
Year: 2005
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes

Andy's (Steve Carell) nerdy life is turned upside down when his coworkers discover he is a 40 year old virgin. They make it their mission to do everything they can to get Andy laid. However, when Andy meets a woman he really likes and feels he can have a relationship with, mounting pressure from his new friends to have meaningless sex with a random girl may cause friction with his new love and major confusion for Andy.

"The 40 Year Old Virgin" marks the feature film directorial debut of Judd Apatow. Apatow also wrote the screenplay along with Steve Carell, who stars in this film as Andy, the titular 40 year old virgin. As a man who has never had sex, let alone a relationship, Andy has a lot of hobbies to keep himself entertained. He spends his time playing video games, practicing music, painting miniature figurines, reading comics, and he also has a massive collection of collectible toys that he has kept in their boxes since the second grade. One might say Andy is kind of a nerd. One night, he is invited to play poker with a few coworkers, and when the conversation steers towards their sexual escapades, they quickly discover Andy is a virgin. Now, these coworkers, including Jay, played by Romany Malco, David, played by Paul Rudd, and Cal, played by Seth Rogen, are hellbent and determined to get Andy laid as soon as possible with no romantic connection necessary.

This is one of our favorite comedies. Like most of Apatow's films, it is a raunchy romantic comedy, but may appeal to a very wide range of people because of its subject matter and its likable protagonist. There is a lot of wit to go along with some extreme silliness, plus a little slapstick for good measure. As the writers of "The 40 Year Old Virgin," Apatow and Carell bank on the presence of uncomfortable, awkward humor when it comes to Andy, his attempts to pick up women, and his endeavor to finally do the deed. Steve Carell does this kind of embarrassing humor really well. He is also extremely capable in selling the naivete Andy has when it comes to sex and women in general. Carell has come into his own as a leading man, and since this film, he has branched out to more serious projects, but we absolutely love him here and still think this is one of his best roles. He's quite the talented actor with a wide range, allowing him to fluctuate between whatever this movie calls for, be it a serious moment, a hilarious joke, or a heartfelt scene. Carell is not the only person to make this comedy worthwhile. The supporting cast featuring the likes of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Jane Lynch and Catherine Keener bring their fair share of laughs as well. Malco, the suave player of the group, Rogen, the relaxed loudmouth of the group, and Rudd, the stage-five clinger of the group, are the perfect examples of how not to behave when it comes to women. This is one of Seth Rogen's earlier major roles as Cal, and it really serves as a launching off point for his career. Paul Rudd's love-jaded David is fantastic in his own right as he delivers his lines with his signature sarcastic wit. Finally, Romany Malco offers up many laughs as the self-proclaimed lady's man Jay. Andy, who seems like he just wants to make friends, nestles right into their horrible relationship advice until he eventually figures out that he needs to follow his heart. There are are also some great supporting and bit performances from Gerry Bednob, Leslie Mann, and Elizabeth Banks.

All in all, "The 40 Year Old Virgin" is a terrific movie. It is one of the best comedies from the first decade of this millennium, and it's one of our all-time favorite comedies in general. We laugh our asses off each time we watch this film, getting invested in the characters and this fun, touching story each time around. A fantastic, funny,, and worthwhile comedy for the ages!! 

My Rating: 10/10
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85%
Do we recommend this movie: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!
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One year ago, we were watching: "Along Came Polly"

Movie Review #283: "Trainwreck" (2015)

Movie: "Trainwreck"
Director: Judd Apatow
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

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When Amy (Amy Schumer) was a child, her father Gordon (Colin Quinn) told her and her younger sister Kim (Brie Larson) that monogamy isn't realistic. Though he said this as a way to excuse his infidelity, these words seemed to stick with Amy. Now, as an adult, Amy leads a very promiscuous lifestyle. Her relationships are usually little more than a series of one night stands and though she does see one guy regularly (John Cena), she doesn't have any feelings for him. She has never had real feelings for anybody and doesn't think she ever will...that is, until she meets Aaron (Bill Hader), who is a sports doctor that Amy has been assigned to write a story about for her job at a men's magazine.

In many ways, "Trainwreck" is a standard romantic comedy, and in many ways, it's not. In the same vein as films like "Wedding Crashers" or like last year's "That Awkward Moment," the main protagonist is a hardcore partier who drinks and has a regular stream of different sexual partners. In this sense, "Trainwreck" is very similar, though usually in these types of movies, the protagonist is a man. That's where this movie differs as Amy Schmuer is the film's star, as well as its writer. It may not seem like a big change, but examine the current social stigmas surrounding such issues, if you will. There is an unfortunate general consensus and acceptance that a man can sleep around with multiple women and be considered a 'player,' but if a woman does this, she is deemed a 'slut.' "Trainwreck" even goes into the realm of challenging these social norms and mores, which is something we can appreciate as people who want equal rights for all. But simply switching gender roles and challenging social norms isn't enough to make a good movie. Is the comedy on point? Does it make us laugh?

Amy Schumer has never really been on our radar, but she is quite popular in the current comedy scene. She is basically playing a movie version of herself, and she does so in such a funny manner, giving off the vibe that you'd want to get a beer with her in real life because she seems so fun. Though the initial trailer wasn't anything to write home about, we are pleased to say the answer to the above questions is yes, and this film is straight up hilarious. For any successful movie, and crucial in a comedy, is the need for a good, strong cast that you believe, and characters to back up good writing and performances. Luckily, this movie has a wonderful mix of both serious and funny moments brought to life by an excellent cast of completely convincing relationships.

Amy Schumer does a sterling job in her debut starring role in this feature length film. She brings her signature brash, sarcastic brand of comedy that she is so known for to the big screen with tons of jokes that land exactly where they need to bring the audience to tears with laughter. Not everyone will love her kind of humor since it is quite risque, and in this respect, this film is definitely not for the prude at heart. Bill Hader plays Amy's love interest Aaron and puts on a good performance in that part. He has made a lot of strides in the last few years as an actor, showing he has the ability to deliver solid performances, even when his characters are multi-layered. We believe Amy and Aaron as a couple and they look like a pair that could be together in real life. They bicker like a real couple, they joke like a real couple, and they love like a real couple would. Beyond these two principle actors, there are also a host of other performances by the likes of Colin Quinn, who plays Amy's bitter, angry, sort of racist asshole father, who is in an assisted living facility and doesn't have the best track record with his girls. Tilda Swinton plays Amy's blunt and rude boss Dianna, who only cares about her job and getting it done right the first time. LeBron James, the last person you'd expect to fill an acting role, manages to not simply feel like a stiff basketball player passing off his lines. His smaller part garners quite a few chuckles as well. As we have mentioned, there are laughs-o-plenty from start to finish, but it subscribes to Judd Apatow's signature body part, drug taking, over-partying brand of humor. The movie might feel a tiny bit long, but most of it moves well and is acted in such a manner that it makes it feel like real life. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised by how much I snickered during this movie, and how much I liked it overall. Though BigJ liked it a bit less than I did, he still enjoyed it nonetheless.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!

Movie Review: "Knocked Up" (2007)

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Movie: "Knocked Up"
Director: Judd Apatow
Year: 2007
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 9 minutes

Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) has just gotten a promotion at her job with the E! network as an on-air host. She and her sister Debbie (Leslie Mann) have decided to go out to the club to celebrate with a few drinks. When there, Alison meets a guy named Ben Stone (Seth Rogen), a full-time stoner and nudity-in-movies aficionado. Drinking and dancing quickly turns into love making for the two of them. 8 weeks later, feeling ill, Alison takes a number of pregnancy tests and discovers they are all positive. Alison and Ben are then put in the awkward position of trying to turn their one-night stand into a full-fledged relationship, forced to make it work, even though they don't know the first thing about having a baby...or each other.

The appeal of "Knocked Up" has not been sullied over the years. Though it's not as classic as its Judd Apatow counterpart "The 40 Year Old Virgin," it's still just as hilarious today as it was when we saw it in 2007 for the first time. Wow...2007....time sure flies when mediocre comedies are thrown at you ad nauseum for almost a decade. Hollywood's #1 hated female actress for quite a stretch in the late 2000's, Katherine Heigl, plays Alison, a career-oriented woman working at the huge TV network E!. Up until now, she hasn't had her own place, forcing her to live with her sister Debbie, played by Apatow's real life wife Leslie Mann, and her husband Pete, played by Paul Rudd, and their two young daughters. Debbie and Pete obviously hate each other as their strained relationship causes them to call each other names, mock one another, belittle each other and sneak out for nights with friends. Not the best model for a relationship, eh? After Alison gets a promotion, she and her sister hit the town and is offered a beer by Ben, a chubby Jewish stoner who has no social filter whatsoever. He is there with his nerdy, stoner buddies, and Debbie, just wanting to get away for the night, goes with Alison to try and prove she's not as old as she thinks she is. One beer leads to another beer, and Alison and Ben, not knowing the first thing about each other, and not even sure if they would really like one another when sober, have a one-night stand. During the heat of the moment confusion, they don't use a condom. 8 weeks later, boom, pregnant. Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl play a good pair of opposites: Rogen, breaking out from his usual part of second-fiddle friend, steps up to play the lead here as his stereotypical goofball stoner underachieving jokester, and Heigl plays her typical workaholic, not-a-joking-bone-in-her-body, sort of snooty female protagonist. Their chemistry might not be all that believable every single second, but it's not the worst pairing in movie history.

With "Knocked Up," audiences get a really funny comedy about what it's like to accidentally get pregnant with someone you don't know. The humor mixes in with such tangible, real life situations, especially being polar opposites with someone and trying to bring a life into the world, shows a confident mix of zany and practical with both a woman and man's perspective in mind. Everything is included, from morning sickness to picking a doctor, from earthquakes to renting an apartment, it's all presented in a nice, neat package with some craziness on the side. There are some moments that drag the film down or cause secondhand embarrassment, but most of the humor lands where it need to and does so well. Pete and Debbie's relationship is one of the biggest points of contention in the film, and though not the main characters, their relationship strain causes a lot of problems for everyone else involved. Some scenarios with Ben's friends miss their intended marks, but other times, we can't imagine the movie without their constant bickering, squabbles, and dick jokes. Though the situation is chaotic, there are a lot of tension-easing points too, usually because of Rogen and these pothead friends. It's interesting to see the start of such now well-known comedy actors in Hollywood, but also to go back and see a lot of up-and-coming stars like Adam Scott, Ken Jeong, Martin Starr, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Jason Segel, and Kristen Wiig, knowing where they are in their careers now. Overall, we enjoy this movie quite a bit, though it might not be as constantly watchable as Rogen's other romps.

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!