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This was emailed to me by a Judd Apatow insider who’s also a prominent filmmaker (he asked to “stay in the shadows”) in response to my box office report that Universal execs had “begged” Apatow to shorten Funny People:
“Despite what anyone at Universal is saying now — trying to cover their asses – I can 100% assure you: Universal execs never begged or pleaded with Judd to shorten his movie. Not one of them would have had the balls to. They never would have done anything to piss Judd off.
There was a mini feud on “40 Year Old Virgin” between Judd and [ex-Uni exec] Mary Parent, and everyone learned never to side against or ever really question Judd after that. Trust me. Besides, all questions of length were precluded by two words, “Knocked Up”. It was almost as long and it was an out and out comedy. No one would have been brave enough to challenge Judd on this, even in a joking matter. Trust me, Nikki…
Better or worse it was Judd’s show and he delivered to them the movie he wanted and they smiled and said “Thank you.” Privately they may have worried, but they never, never, never asked Judd to shorten it.
“PS… Judd did shorten it. I saw a three hour, forty five minute version of ”Funny People” and Judd’s goal was to get it to “Knocked Up” length. And that’s where he got it, too. And the studio was happy with that length. And the idea that someone would directly tell Judd that the part with his wife had to be particularly shortened is ridiculous. Ask that person to give you details on that conversation. I would love to hear how that went. It didn’t happen.”
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Wow.
Apatow must have quite the ego to think that his comedies deserve the attention of audiences for two and-a-half hours.
And with this latest serving of ego, he’ll continue to alienate his audience.
Of course Universal would sign Judd to direct another three films for them. That makes complete sense.
The projects will either be…
A) Smaller 40 Year Old Virgin type affairs big character small on budget.
B) Apatow may attract another A-Lister (one he didn’t go to college with) to star in his next project. Tom Hanks and Apatow teaming up?
And having Apatow on the lot makes loads of sense owing to the talent he attracts. Let’s see Sony try and hold on to the rest of the ‘Apatow gang’ now that the man himself is on the Universal lot.
The real problem with the film is that it cost too bloody much. The film is great, it really is but because it made such a low percentage of its budget back opening weekend it’s being written off. When the Academy announced it was nominating 10 films this year, I legitimately though this had a shot. It’s that good.
As entertaining as 40 Year Old and Knocked UP were (the last was a little overrated IMO), both would have been better a little shorter.
Sounds like Apatow needs to upgrade his hat size now.
I haven’t seen Funnny People yet. I heard it cost over 75 million to make. Are there lots of CGI dinosaurs or space aliens? How the fuck does a comedy cost that much to make?
Sounds like I should just wait til it’s on HBO.
I find this whole matter ridiculous Nikki — size does not matter — why is there even talk of this? Was there talk about Harry Potter being too long or your favorite movie Orphan being over 2 hours long? Funny People is not a 3 hour movie — its about the same length as Knocked Up — which did not even feel as if it was over 2 hours. This movie is touching, more drama than comedy but still worth the price of admission. Leslie mann should get an oscar nomination — she is that good — especially at the dinner table scene. And this is Adam Sandler’s highest R rated film.
This is a tricky situation. We all know that studio executives and their “notes” on films are legendary for being asinine. And Apatow’s success gives him a certain about of kiss-my-assness.
The problem is that all studio commentary is not stupid and no filmmaker is infallible. It always pays to have someone around you who will tell you the truth no matter what. Alas, this is Hollywood and no one has any balls.
Apatow’s “formula” works well with broader comedic stories like Knocked Up and Virgin. Not so much with a more dramatic leveled film like Funny People. When the laughs stop, people look at this phones to see what time it is.
And I know you’re thinking that no one can hit them out of the park all the time, that the vagaries of the business and random luck will always bring disappointment in the clash of egos and personalities.
One word: Pixar.
ps: lay off Apatow’s wife. She’s a good actress and it’s just silly and mean.
Unfortunately, the movie is bad. Really bad. It lacks consistency in tone, and it feels like it’s trying to hard to be funny, trying too hard to be earnest, and missing on both counts. I agree with your “source” Nikki. If Universal was at all worried about Apatow, they wouldn’t have given him a three picture deal at a time when no one gets it. I do hope part of their conditions in that deal was a time constraint. Though funny, I thought KNOCKED UP was too long. This is a guy who knows comedy (sometimes) but obviously is unable to edit his own “genius”. And therefore, he gets in the way of it. Hopefully, this isn’t yet another bad decision made by the Universal family. Note to Ron: you may need some new execs to mix things up.
And it’s a good thing Judd’s wife’s scenes weren’t shortened or he might have been treated to a tantrum ala the one her character in Knocked Up threw after being denied admission to that nightclub for being too old, a totally bizarre and out-of-place scene which not only made everyone around me scratch their heads in the theater I was in, but begin talking and leaving as well.
Comedies work best short.
This was what Irving Thalberg told the Marx Brothers when he shortened A NIGHT AT THE OPERA to 96 minutes (including credits).
A 2:20+ comedy is NOT going to sustain. And FUNNY PEOPLE, dealing with cancer and infidelity and penis jokes, was not going to sustain.
How long is THE HANGOVER? How long is THE PROPOSAL?
It’s not like Judd and Company have multiple Oscars to their credit. They have multi-million-dollar films. I’ll bet privately some execs have moaned about how KNOCKED UP probably could have made another $15M if it was 15 minutes shorter as well.
Sounds like Nick Stoller to me.
There’s no point in making a movie more than 2 hours long other than director ego (except for epics and period pieces). Whether they want to admit it or not, they’re saying, “I know throughout time that the best movies have stayed under 2 hours, but I am different. I understand how movies work. I’m the one person who can make them longer.” I mean seriously. He couldn’t shorten it to two hours?? It was *that* hard??
So, this Judd Apatow “insider” (conjures up an appropriate mental picture) tells us no Uni-execs would dare to question the Almighty Judd, that they ‘learned never to really question’ him, and that the idea that somebody would ask him to cut down the self-indulgent crap with his wife is ridiculous.
Didn’t take Judd Apatow long to become the most self-obsessed arrogant prick in Hollywood!
Actually, the nightclub moment was the best scene in the film. A brutal, honest, humorous look at when adults come to the painful realization that they are truly ‘grownups’.
Who the hell does this guy think he is, Richard Attenborough?
The only problem I have with Apatow’s movies is that they are too long. And it’s obvious the guy can’t do dramaedy very well and his slacker/bromance comedies are wearing thin.
Don’t worry, Mr. Studio Boss, you’ll be able to call the shots again soon.
I liked the movie! It was not perfect by any means (it really did feel like it lost the main thread of the story for a long time and then when it got back to the core story, we no longer cared as much). But it was interesting and engaging and had alot of funny to semi-funny parts. And clearly it was the work of a talented man who clearly is trying to grow as a creator. Why in the world are people on this site- who I assume love movies- taking the piss out of him because he tried something interesting and didn’t quite get there? Beats cookie cutter crap H-wood usually gives us.
Also, I liked Apatow’s wife. I think she’s sexy and funny and was totally believable in the flick. It did not feel like vanity casting at all (i.e. it was no Sophia in Godfather III…not even close). I think people are gunning for her just because she’s his wife. She did the role justice and was appealing.
I think many people on here are just out for blood but I’m not really sure why. Apatow has given audiences some great movies and some great television. And perhaps this flick was too costly. But I think we really need to balance holding our artists accountable while at the same time giving them the freedom to grow and stretch…otherwise, they will die out and no longer be there to entertain us.
Someone earlier posted that he overheard a couple saying that they should have seen THE HANGOVER again instead of FUNNY PEOPLE. Well a few years ago, 40 YEAR OLD and KNOCKED UP were THE HANGOVER of that year. And probably in 2-5 years, there will be another flavor of the month while the director of THE HANGOVER struggles to step up his game. Hopefully folks will be kinder to that director than they are currently being to Apatow.
Don’t forget, Apatow’s the one who oversaw “Anchorman,” a film that was so over-long and self-indulgent that they re-shot much of it and released about an hour-long “extra” movie on the DVD edited together of the rest.
The truth is, “Funny People” is two movies – the laugh-riot first act where Sandler thinks he’s dying and then the hour-and-a-half second/third act where the movie shifts from Rogen’s character’s POV to Sandler’s and it becomes much more serious after Sandler learns he’s going to live.
It’s the tone shift that kills it, not the length.
@ ScriptShadow:
Absolutely. Hasn’t Apatow learned to “kill his darlings”, not only in the editing room but also while scripting? Cut out the lame standup scenes and the more lame jokes out of “Funny People”, and you’re left with a more agreeable (and shorter) movie.
A movie’s worth is not based on length — you shorten it — you end up losing character development, you lose “well why did they do that” kinda moments. I don’t see why comedic films should be treated any differently than say public enemies which ran for more than 2 and 1/2 hours or Transformers which also ran at that same amount of time. This is a non-issue and all of you are complaining too much for a movie that is only 2 hours and 15 minutes, not the 2 1/2 hours everyone is saying. This is a good film
puhlease… this apatow mafia needs to protect their don?… man up… and this “director” who needs to stay in the shadows?… they’re about as mysterious as lint…
No movie should be over two hours long, Carson? What about NORTH BY NORTHWEST? What about ALIENS? What about FIGHT CLUB? All great movies. None of them epics or period pieces. All about 138 minutes. A movie can be any length it wants to — as long as its good.
If Leslie Mann is such a great actress, how come she can only land parts in her husband’s movies?
on the way out. this is the beginning of the end for his movies. he’s the next farrelly brothers watch. what an ego? if he just knew how to cut a movie he’d be okay. why doesn’t someone like his MANAGER or AGENT tell him. Oh right, they need the money too. Well hopefully he reads Nikki Finke. WAY TOO LONG. Go make Ghandi.
it’s this freakin’ town. it’s got no balls. it’s easy to say “no!” as execs routinely reject specs at the submission stage. they have no issue turning down a project which “might” go on to make a gazillion dollars – their fear is green-lighting any project that would lose it.
and when it comes to the golden boy filmmakers on the lots execs are just as quick to say “no!”, as in “no, i can’t tell the man his film sucks! he’s made the studio a lot of money!” oy, shades of “1941″, and also reminiscent of “mr. saturday night”, with its poignant “sunshine boys”-style potential. could’ve been a wonderful film, perhaps, just arguably needed to be dialed-back. billy (who still does comic genius cartwheels around today’s dumbed-down lot) was huuuuuuuuge, but no one had the balls to step to the plate.
it’s what good producers (which is becoming more of an oxymoron) do. the mid-to-upper suits are not producers, they’re cogs in the wheel. it’s the relationships that studio heads have with strong producers that counts, and those days are dwindling as more and more suits deal directly with auteur-filmmakers. ugh, jack warner is rolling in his grave.
I love Judd’s movies and the length of his films is what makes them so watchable. You get so caught up in the lives of the characters you never want it to end. There’s nothing better than watching a Judd Apatow movie on cable on a lazy afternoon when there’s nothing to do. I once watched “Knocked Up” three times in a row and never got bored with it.
Don’t hate the guy just because he has talent and a movie deal.
Keep up the good work, Judd.
Carson,
I’m disappointed in you.