Rating: 
Summary: When Barbra sings the standards, it's a 'great day!'
Review: The muck-anticipated sequel to the mega-hit FUNNY GIRL, FUNNY LADY was a big hit both at the box office and in record stores. The soundtrack hit #6 on the Hot 100 (impressive considering there was no advance single), and was quickly certified Gold. While opinions about the film itself are decidedly mixed, most fans agree the soundtrack is an excellent listen, with only a few reservations. The six new songs by veteran songwriting team John Kander and Fred Ebb (of Cabaret and Chicago fame) are a disappointment, and can't hold a candle to their past triumphs. "Blind Date" and "So Long, Honey Lamb" are gratingly silly, while "Isn't It Better" and the '"I Like Him/Her" medley are a pair of pleasant-but-forgettable clichés. Worse of all is "Let's Hear It For Me," which is a strained and obvious [copy] of FUNNY GIRL'S spectacular "Don't Rain On My Parade." The intended show-stopper "How Lucky Can You Get?" fares better, and benefits greatly from Streisand's scorching performance. However, the lackluster Kander and Ebb material does not matter, because Funny Lady contains Streisand's renditions of six standards, and they are terrific. The gospel-infused reinterpretation of "Great Day," the startling dramatic-turned-comic performance of "Am I Blue," and the jazzy, sexy take on "I Found A Million Dollar Baby In A Five And Ten Cent Store" are all masterpieces, although the disc's real standout tracks are the quiet, piano-based "If I Love Again" and the new rendition of "More Than You Know" (which surpasses Barbra's own excellent 1967 recording of the song). The songs by other cast members (James Caan's "Me And My Shadow" and Ben Vereen's "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie") didn't really need to be preserved here, but there're tolerable. Barbra's voice is so powerful at this period that she could have made anything sound good, however, the FUNNY LADY soundtrack is only first-rate when Streisand is singing the standards. Though disappointing, the Kander and Ebb songs are professional and perfectly listenable, however they're not the reason this disc is a must-own for Streisand fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Why, Barbra? Why??
Review: This is a disjointed, embarrassing, histrionic hodge-podge of a movie that never comes anywhere near to capturing the magnificent La Streisand's glory days of 'Hello, Dolly!' and the sublime 'Funny Girl'. There are several reasons for this, though none are to do with the performances given by the leads; Streisand reprising her role as Fanny Brice does what she can with a truly lousy script, ditto James Caan as her hapless second Husband, Billy Rose. Why 'Funny Girl' fails so badly is the fact that it seems to have had eighteen different writers, producers and directors working on the project at any one time. At one point, early on in the movie, Fanny complains of Rose's show that 'the whole damn thing is overproduced' - ironically, a metaphor for 'Funny Lady' itself. Musical numbers are shockingly produced - 'Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley' looks and sounds like a singer in great pain, while Barbra's showcase songs 'Great Day' (embarrasingly racist) and 'Let's Hear it for Me', while beautifully performed, are hideously shambolic mish-mash affairs of direction and choreography, or lack thereof. The script, too, is second-rate. Why is Fanny a big bee-yotch all of a sudden? When did the hard-nosed businesswoman come along to replace the sweet, funny Fanny of the previous movie? She's too mercenary now, all shares and profits, and her femininity doesn;t really begin to show until the 'Isn't This Better?' moment (a beautiful song, and an even better performance), but this is towards the film's end, and by that stage we're just plain tired of Bitter Barbra. Bearing little to no resemblance to its predecessor, 'Funny Lady' is a terribly poorly-produced movie, full of beautiful songs and really awful visuals. Buy the soundtrack instead.
Rating: 
Summary: ADORABLE! I LOVE IT!!
Review: This is a fabulous movie. I still think "Funny Girl" is better, but I adore this film. One of Ms. Streisand's best! "FIVE STARS!"- Naomi Judd, "Star Search"
Rating:
Summary: ADORABLE! I LOVE IT!!
Review: This is a fabulous movie. I still think "Funny Girl" is better, but I adore this film. One of Ms. Streisand's best! "FIVE STARS!"- Naomi Judd, "Star Search"
Rating:
Summary: SURPRISINGLY GOOD.
Review: This movie is not as good as FUNNY GIRL, but it is better than most critics rate it. It has lots of great musical numbers and Barbra Streisand is brilliant as a muture Fanny Brice. James Caan is good as Billy Rose. I thoroughly enjoy this movie every time I see it.
Rating: 
Summary: Fair movie, baaad sequel (3.5 rating)
Review: This movie, standing alone, is average. Barbra seems seriously bored, and there is absolutely no chemistry between them. But, it is well done, with the sets, and somewhat the plot. The songs are great, they are the only things that really work.
But, as a sequel, it blows, big time! I mean, it has none of the Funny Girl charm and sweetness, Fanny's character is a lot more conceited, and just plain bad.
No comparison to funny girl in anyway. If you watch this one first, you will find it to be really good
But if you watched funny girl, watch this one just for the record(pun intended). As a sequel, wow, this blows!
P.S. I am a huge Barbra Streisand fan and own this Dvd, and I do not regret buting it at all
Rating:
Summary: Whoops!
Review: What can I say. She was under contract to do this!
Rating:
Summary: Streisand Never Sounded Better
Review: While the re-issue does leave someting to be desired--particularly the changes to the original soundtrack's "Great Day"-- this CD presents a terrific snapshot of 70s Barbra. "If I Love Again" is a highlight of her entire career and "Great Day", while not as sublime as the original, is still way ahead of the pack. This is truly a gem of a CD once you get through the banality of some of the less stellar material (which in the historical context of the movie seems to make more sense).
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