Death, dying, and possible reprieve grab the foreground at the start of Judd Apatow’s new movie, Funny People. The focus on dying will keep a lot of critics and movie go-ers at bay, but the laughs and the new beginning foci will please quite a few humble folk, as sparse as they may be these days. By the end of the picture, we no longer have a failure to communicate, largely because charming humility fortunately replaces oppressive narcissism. Comedy really can reflect the creative artist at his/her best self expression, rather than simply emerge as by-product of a messy spilling of self-centered neurosis and relationship failure. The Sarcastic push-aways of Adam Sandler’s nasty George Simmons pale in the day light of Seth Rogen’s Ira Wright — the mensch’s —earnest humor.
Imagine if you were charged to write the sequel to this movie! The original runs 2.5 hours and still leaves important story moments undeveloped. The new one would be post conflict, with characters lacking as many flaws and heading towards mutually empathic relationships. How would you deal with a more co-equal main character and his supporting actor, now that they’ve become friends and potential peers, not only personally but professionally as well? Furthermore, how comfortable will you be in this Apatow genre: the men’s analogue to the chick flick? And most importantly how many asses would you get in the seats next time and how?
An interesting challenge: to entertain within a creative piece without depending solely on betrayal, conflict and its resolution, while portraying compelling humanistic characters with just enough conflict and flaws. Can you create a new genre based on positivity, meaning and fulfillment, a script that features great role models and inspirational mentors? If you write it, will they come? Will it be post modern spiritual AND escapist?
We relationship builders certainly could use more relationship enhancing movies and role models for our clients in search of emotional and inspirational support for successful collaboration both in friendship and marriage. Until you concoct the sequel, do enjoy the upside of this original dude flick and some truly funny people.