Oh funny people, why are you looking so emotional? You should look funny. Come on, make me laugh funny people! Dance for me! Dance an awkward funny dance!

This is an interesting variation of the by now well known Judd Apatow poster design, known by some as the Sears Portrait Studio look. For the first time in a movie directed by Apatow himself we have more than one person in the poster (*Update* As crane points out in comments, not really, but lets pretend I know what I’m talking about.). The image also strikes me as less obviously funny than what we got with Virgin or Knocked Up. In some ways it’s a very touching and emotional image. So touching and emotional that it is kind of over the top. And funny because of that. Sort of. But not by a lot.

Sometimes I look at and it doesn’t look funny at all, just earnest and heartwarming. And sometimes it seems very silly. I imagine this line between silly and feelgood is one the film itself will try to walk. Not surprising, coming from Apatow, but I’m still interested in seeing how he does it this time. Somehow, the task seems slightly harder in this case.

As for the look, I’m sure that it, like all good things, is going to become tired eventually. But this poster makes me think it still has some mileage left.

Also, I’d like the records to show that it did no make the “why is Adam Sandler in the poster? Isn’t it supposed to be funny people?” joke.

(Via Trailer Addict and IMPAwards)