Aug 04 2009
Funny People Review–Special 2-page Director’s Cut
Gonna do something a little different today, gang. I wrote a nice review of Funny People for Den of Geek (number one at the box office, and number one in our hearts), but not only was it a little long, it was a little inappropriate for the audience involved. Mostly because people couldn’t care less about me and how the movie affected me personally. Since I’m not Judd Apatow, I can’t get away with shoving whatever I want into my reviews, but sometimes the stuff I cut out is actually good, so I figure… why not make this a regular feature? Or at least an occasional feature.
Funny People–The Director’s Cut
This is kind of a dangerous film in some ways. At least it was for me. I’m in a bit of a transitionary period in my life. My birthday is this week, as is my ten-year high school reunion (he says, knowing no one gives a damn). I’m in that area where I need to start growing up and settling down, because I’m not getting any younger and my hair isn’t getting any thicker or less gray. I’m basically at the point where chasing my dreams starts butting heads with the fact I’m too goddamn old to fuck off to LA to write screenplays and wait tables. Or do whatever in the hell it is I dream of doing. I don’t even know anymore.
That’s where the movie hits hardest for me. Every step forward leaves something behind. Every path not taken could lead to an entirely different world. Sometimes we can go back and change things; sometimes all we can do from our past mistakes is learn. Growth is seldom easy, life is not neatly contained. There’s always going to be a girl (or guy) that got away. No matter who you are, there’s always some tragic love affair gone wrong, a chance not taken, a lover spurned that you never quite get over.
That’s life. It’s not comedy or drama. It’s not friends or acquaintances or lovers. Life is just a journey: full of twists and turns and missed chances and fuck-ups and broken hearts. Maybe you can’t win back your one true love, but you can learn from your mistakes and make new ones the next time.
Author’s note: No, I’m not narcissistic enough to do this every time I cut shit out of a review, only when I cut out shit I actually like. Trust me, that’s very rare. I’d have continued onward with the thoughts, but the train has long since derailed now.
Life is too short to not chase your dreams.
But I don’t have any dreams anymore.