Two Kinds of Funny

There are a couple funny guys I like. Every movie they put out (even if I hate the premise) I end up seeing. Will Ferrell movies, and Adam Sandler movies. The other day while I was taking a lie-down shower (you know the type I’m talking about) I thought “Why haven’t they done a movie together yet?” Besides the obvious answer of not being able to make as much money (debatable) I thought of another answer: They do two different types of comedies. There are some exceptions to these observations, but they hold pretty close (minus the remakes).

Adam Sandler
Sandler tends to take a loser character and put them in a very unique (sometimes supernatural) situation. That situation will give him the opportunity to be less of a loser. The term loser can be defined in many ways for Sandler’s movies. It could mean he takes his family for granted, isn’t responsible, won’t grow up, won’t stand up for himself, doesn’t believe in himself, won’t forgive himself, or won’t commit. Then after the crazy thing that happens to him, he learns to overcome his loserness and become the hero. With hilarity throughout of course.

Will Ferrell
Ferrell’s movies, on the other hand, examine different professions and then exploit the viciously funny stereotypes until we pee our pants. He takes a race car driver, a semi-pro basketball player, a news anchor, a fashion designer, an amateur soccer coach, an Olympic skater, a scientist, a cop, or a super villain then gives you an ingenious movie quote for pretty much any programming you’re watching on TV that isn’t starring actors. These stereotypes are so RIGHT ON that it can even change the behavior of these professions. For example in Cedar Rapids, Iowa there is a news anchor that was known for his mustache (Bruce Aune). Then Anchorman came out. The mustache has been missing ever since. He didn’t want to live out the stereotype, and give anyone an excuse to see him as an example of a Will Ferrell character.

So if you ever feel like you can’t write because everything you think of has been done…who cares? These guys aren’t re-inventing the wheel, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.