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On my way to seeing Funny People, I was expecting to see another amusing film starring Adam Sandler.

But surprisingly, more than just being witty and humorous, it emphasized an important lifelong lesson that we all can learn.

Sandler's first time working with writer/director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up) appears to be a smooth transition from the typical juvenile childlike roles of Sandler’s past performances (Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore). This is a more mature, rated-R role, and Sandler fits in well with the casting crew commonly seen in Apatow's works.

The film is based on George Simmons (Sandler), a famous and successful comedian with enough fortune to live extravagantly for the rest of his life.

At the height of his career, he learns from his doctor that he has a rare form of leukemia, and only an 8 percent chance of surviving.

The news of his illness puts Simmons into a state of depression, which creates the need for new creativity and companionship.

While sitting one evening watching the acts at an improv comedy nightclub, Simmons meets Ira Wright ( Seth Rogen), an up-and-coming comedian who reminds him of a younger version of himself.

Simmons hires him to be his personal assistant at home, to write his jokes and to open on stage for him.

Simmons is a headstrong individual who has an emotional wall around him. Wright is instrumental to breaking down that wall, and this leads to a growing friendship.

Things start to take a turn when romance enters the scene. Simmons decides to chase his long-lost love, Laura ( Leslie Mann of Knocked Up and Big Daddy), who is already married. This portion feels dragged out, adding unimportant sub-plots, and the film almost loses steam.

But eventually it rebounds as it shows what Simmons should truly be searching for to combat his loneliness.

Besides top-notch performances from Sandler and Rogen, Apatow's cast shows why they are the new faces of adult comedy. Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman are hilarious as Wright's sarcastic roommates.

Even the random cameo appearances from A-list celebrities bring in some laughs.

Funny People is as enjoyable film with tons of laughs and plenty of emotion. Although lengthy and at some points slow, it still deserves a thumbs-up rating for a late summer film.