Funny People (2009)

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George Simmons (Adam Sandler), a successful stand-up comedian and comic actor, is decked when he is diagnosed with a terminal illness. He's really pretty alone in the world and still mooning over his ex-girlfriend Lauta (Leslie Mann) who is now married to Clarke (Eric Bana).

He hires Ira Wright (Seth Rogan), an aspiring comedian, to write jokes for him and be his companion.

Also appearing are Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman as Ira's roomies who are also comedians; Aubrey Plaza as Ira's former girlfriend Daisy; Maude and Iris Apatow as Luara and Clarke's daughters; Torsten Voges as the doctor.

Also appearing in cameo roles are Paul Reiser, James Taylor, Andy Dick, Charles Fleischer, Carol Leifer, George Wallace, Norm MacDonald, Sarah Silverman, Bud Friedman, Eminem, Ray Romano.

Some of this film was funny but not nearly as precious as the writer/director and cast thought. Perhaps if it was edited down by an hour it would have heen more palatable to me.

Written and directed by Judd Apatow.

Run time: 2 hours, 25 minutes

Rated R.

My personal rating: C

The Open Road (2009)

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”That’s the deal. He commits to something and then the idea of commitment totally freaks him out.”

Minor league baseball player and aspiring writer Carlton Garrett (Justin Timberlake) is the son of a baseball legend, Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges). Carlton's mother Katherine (Mary Steenburgen) is quite ill in a Houston hospital with a heart defect but she steadfastly refuses to have surgery until she can see her ex-husband, Kyle. Carlton has tried to contact his father before to no avail so he sets off with his gal pal Lucy (Kate Mara) to fly to a baseball fan-con to find his dad.

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Kyle is quite cool toward Carlton and when he learns the reason Carlton has hunted him down Kyle agrees to travel to Houston. But at the airport, Kyle is unable to board the plane because he claims he "lost" his ID. To Carlton this symbolizes yet another rejection but he does manage to persuade Kyle to fly back to Houston with the young couple. To Kyle's dismay, the trio ends up setting off in a rental car. But enroute, Kyle manages to do whatever he can to get out of the trip..
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Meanwhile, the relationship between Carlton and Lucy is revealed. They're best friends. They actually love each other but Carlton is afraid to commit -- obviously a result of his sense of abandonment by his own father.
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Can the dysfunctional father-son relationship be healed? Can the young couple find a way to move on with their relationship?.
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Also appearing in small roles are Harry Dean Stanton as Katherine's father; Ted Danson as Carlton's coach; and Lyle Lovett as a bartender..
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Written and directed by Michael Meredith.
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Run time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.
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Rated PG-13.
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My personal rating: B