Judd Apatow - I Love You, Man
I just realized that I had seen I Love You, Man but neglected to write something about it. And now that I’m here - supposedly about to write something about it - I really can’t think of much to say. I liked it. Quite a bit. Yeah.
The thing is, though, I am a big fan of these Apatow movies. No, Apatow didn’t have a hand at all in this one, but the idea behind it, the execution of it, the jokes, the characters, the pacing, the actors cast - Apatow is just as responsible for this movie as anyone listed in the credits. The movie reeks of the pungent smell of Apatow. Mmmm….whiff it.
Probably, there are many that think that he did actually have his fingers in this particular pie and with good reason. The guy has had his name on 11 major theatrical releases since 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. And he’s got two more coming out this year, plus another filming right now. He’s got a machine going now, and he’s suddenly become THE guy in blockbuster comedy. And he deserves it.
Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Walk Hard are funny funny movies that live in an alternate universe where men can have a five-way gang fight to the death (complete with grenades and tridents) and never have to suffer the consequences, burst into song spontaneously in perfect harmony, get chopped in half but stick around long enough to chide the chopper. This is Looney Toon stuff. What makes it great is that the movies immerse themselves so fully into their own alternate universes, universes lampooning clichés and stereotypes and embracing lunacy.
Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Pineapple Express - these all take place in a reality more like our own, but that doesn’t stunt the creativity. One of the things that distinguishes Apatow movies is the creative (and extraordinarily profane) verbal sparring between characters:
Jules: You scratch our backs, we’ll scratch yours.
Seth: Well Jules, the funny thing about my back is that it’s located on my cock.
…for example.
What’s great is, he takes a bunch of people that are friends (or friendly) and he has them have a good time with each other. He has them act, write, improvise, produce - this is an active bunch. And funny. Above all, funny.
Which brings us to the movies Apatow has personally written and directed - 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and the upcoming Funny People. Apatow knows that he is the one who is going to have to pave the way, to take the risks, to excel. He takes the chemistry of his group of friends, his ensemble, and he puts them in stories that are truly thoughtful about interesting subjects. And he makes it difficult, he knows how to bring his characters to difficult, dark places. He needs to work on his endings a bit, but this is a guy who is hugely concerned with making great movies. Not just great comedies, great movies. Check out who is new cinematographer is, for proof of that. I’ve seen an early early early early early cut of his latest movie and I’ll tell you - if it’s whittled down in the right way, it could be a masterpiece. I shit you not.
Now, I know many do not share the love I have for Apatow and his people, I understand that - though I do question their sense of humour…and reasoning. I know that Comedy is just like Porn - what does it for you might not do it for me. (Or was that Horror? I hated The Ring, by the way.) But, either way, I’m here to tell you - Apatow is a serious filmmaker with serious talent and aspirations.
Oh - and, yeah, I Love You, Man is funny stuff, dude. Totally. Like it a ton.
