Judd Apatow's Jerry Maguire

Welp, I've given the matter a lot of thought. Or, rather, probably not enough thought. Then again, maybe I'm in the "Goldilocks Region", having given it just the amount of thought the matter deserves. Now, you might be asking, what on earth could Jerry Maguire and Adam Sandler's Funny People possibly have in common? Well, three things to start. First, they're both way too long. The example of a film that's way too long that I keep going back to is Hook; about three false endings too long or so, with all due respect to Spielberg. He knows I love him. Second... damn, what was the second thing? Well, both thematically have a lot in common: pulling back the veil to show how the richer half lives, both overly sentimental, and both featuring the soundtrack of our lives, including Paul McCartney. Third, both were lovingly filmed by ... ta dah! Spielberg's current permanent camera man, Janusz Kaminski. Well, even the best of us likes to take a vacation from quality work now and again.
Actually, if I were braver, I'd dare say there's a fourth! Does anyone else see similarities between Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler? Take Cruise's speech in Minority Report at the end of the movie when he screams "Don't you EVER say his name!" Anyone else find that a little Sandler-ish? Just me? Thought so. Of course, Sandler dreams at night about having Cruise's boyish good looks, but that's another blog I'm trying not to become.
Anyway, the qualities of Punch Drunk Love you hated aren't as prominent here. This is no student film, for God's sake! Apatow knows how to put together a damn movie, don't kid yourself. It just suffers from too much of that American navel gazing syndrome we hear so much, yet see so little, about. But it's not all about Sandler and his crippling disease he suffers from in the movie. There's the guy he takes under his wing, Seth Rogen, and the people in Seth's own universe that take up the other half of the movie. Filled with kooky characters like that Aubrey Plaza, it's just plain ducky and brimming with cutting-edge slang and morality. I'm telling you, watch your ass, Zooey Deschanel! Aubrey's got your number, and she's on Tina Fey's friend's show! She's practically a Showbiz Made Man!
What else? I'll keep it short. I keep thinking about that part with Eminem. Could've done without that for some reason. He should have to give back his 8 Mile Oscar for that scene. Speaking of rappers, is RZA's opinion of Kramer the consensus view yet? Some icons can never fail, others spectacularly so. Maybe if you call yourself or your company an icon, that's the first sign of trouble. I do still like that Norm Macdonald for some reason. He was the last great Weekend Update supernova, shining so brightly, taking on the system. Don't worry, that kind of thing won't happen ever again. It's all middle school-targeted bits on SNL from now on. How will this week's guest host be geekified? That never gets old. And I know we're supposed to root against Eric Bana... or are we? He did have great rapport with his kids, or Apatow's kids, I mean. And of course, Sandler does commit the ultimate sin of not loving the child's performance at that school function. I understand, Sandler. Just like W.C. Fields, all performers are insecure and selfish, and don't like it when they're not the center of attention, even for one second.

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-so sayeth The Movie Hooligan