This is 40 (C+ or 2/4 stars)
'This is 40' (written/directed by Judd Apatow) takes a peek into the life of an upper middle-class family during a particularly rough patch. There's quite a bit lot of truth in what Apatow puts on screen (which is undoubtedly drawn from his own marriage) but, as usual with his films, they run the gamut from being hysterically funny to painfully shrill. And as engaging as some of the performers are (NOT the characters), 135 min. is too much time to spend with these people. The movie starts losing steam well before the ending, and then said ending makes us viewers wonder what the point of this endeavor really was. It's intermittently funny/insightful, yet aimless. Debbie (Leslie Mann) & Pete (Paul Rudd) are our leads, here. And their children are played by Apatow's real-life daughters; Mann is his real-life wife.
Apatow charters the waters of marriage - the fights, the moments of secret sex interrupted by kids, & the love that is often hidden under the veil of immediate frustrations. 'This is 40' is comprised of vignettes -- skits. Some work better than others. Some speak of sex issues {how original}. Some contemplate aging, with Debbie refusing to acknowledge that she's turning 40 {how original}. Meanwhile, Paul thinks he has a growth on his anus & asks Debbie to inspect it for him. Paul's also having major financial troubles (his record business is sinking). All this said, and even though they fight a lot, neither partner has a wandering eye. This film isn't about adultery or sexual temptation; it's about how 2 people struggle to make their marriage work even when divorce might seem like a rosy option.
'This is 40' is at its weakest when it goes on tangents not directly related to the main characters. One subplot involving Megan Fox & Charlene Yi playing Debbie's employees at her clothes store, are almost painful to watch. Although I enjoyed Megan Fox, the "who stole $12,000 from the store" plotline feels superfluous, it's never truly resolved, & Yi's performance is horrific. Another subplot, which involves Melissa McCarthy as the mom of a buck-toothed kid, is also superfluous & PAINFULLY unfunny. Apatow obviously wanted McCarthy involved in the movie to bring laughs, but he allows her to riff away with ad-lib dialogue that felt both false & ridiculous given the situation at hand. I couldn't stand the 10 min. she's onscreen, & the storyline padded an already too-long movie.
Another character I couldn't stand ... Pete's mooch of a father, played by cantankerous Albert Brooks. The man has requested over $80,000 from his son over the years because he chose to re-marry to a younger wife, have children, doesn't seem to care about them much; he's never paid back Pete, and it looks like he never will. Furthermore, his storyline is left unresolved, as well. We also get a subplot involving Debbie's re-connection (sort of) with her own father (John Lithgow), a spinal surgeon who walked out when she was 8 yrs. old. The fathers are obviously meant to show that our main couple may be a bit messed-up because of their fathers, but the storylines really go nowhere; existing only to cause further aggravation.
As is typical with an Apatow movie, scenes full of humor, warmth, & insight are juxtaposed with scenes of intense profanity, filth, & vulgarity. And the film suffers from the staleness of its off-the-cuff, improv-inspired riffs during the comedic scenarios. i.e., Viagra rants; Debbie's obsession with Pete eating cupcakes ... who cares!?; Pete & Debbie's 2 girls screeching at each other to no end; a Green Day singer pops up here & there; Jason Segel's physical trainer shtick {pleeease}; Pete & Debbie's Simon & Garfunkel bit; and on & on. Paul Rudd is funny, but his character makes bad choices that irritated me. If you're going BANKRUPT, why do you still own a Lexus, a BMW, going on vacation to a 5-star resort, & throwing an enormous catered party? I'm sorry -- makes no sense.
Apatow's 'This is 40' has a from-the-heart feel that allows his observations about aging, marriage, & family to feel fairly honest. Many viewers of a certain age may relate to Pete & Debbie. This is not a bad movie. But while Apatow hits the mark often enough, it is too sex-obsessed, smart-alecky, crude, & faux-angsty to fully recommend. If you love Apatow, you'll probably like the film; but that's not even a certainty. This is not a cohesive movie - rather, it's a collection of funny/aggravating elements assembled into a threadbare story. I often nodded my head pleasingly at the writing, and I laughed often enough (how can you not with that cast?) ... but too many stretches felt exactly like that - stretches. Again, skits. Too many aggravated me for one reason or another.
Apatow charters the waters of marriage - the fights, the moments of secret sex interrupted by kids, & the love that is often hidden under the veil of immediate frustrations. 'This is 40' is comprised of vignettes -- skits. Some work better than others. Some speak of sex issues {how original}. Some contemplate aging, with Debbie refusing to acknowledge that she's turning 40 {how original}. Meanwhile, Paul thinks he has a growth on his anus & asks Debbie to inspect it for him. Paul's also having major financial troubles (his record business is sinking). All this said, and even though they fight a lot, neither partner has a wandering eye. This film isn't about adultery or sexual temptation; it's about how 2 people struggle to make their marriage work even when divorce might seem like a rosy option.
'This is 40' is at its weakest when it goes on tangents not directly related to the main characters. One subplot involving Megan Fox & Charlene Yi playing Debbie's employees at her clothes store, are almost painful to watch. Although I enjoyed Megan Fox, the "who stole $12,000 from the store" plotline feels superfluous, it's never truly resolved, & Yi's performance is horrific. Another subplot, which involves Melissa McCarthy as the mom of a buck-toothed kid, is also superfluous & PAINFULLY unfunny. Apatow obviously wanted McCarthy involved in the movie to bring laughs, but he allows her to riff away with ad-lib dialogue that felt both false & ridiculous given the situation at hand. I couldn't stand the 10 min. she's onscreen, & the storyline padded an already too-long movie.
Another character I couldn't stand ... Pete's mooch of a father, played by cantankerous Albert Brooks. The man has requested over $80,000 from his son over the years because he chose to re-marry to a younger wife, have children, doesn't seem to care about them much; he's never paid back Pete, and it looks like he never will. Furthermore, his storyline is left unresolved, as well. We also get a subplot involving Debbie's re-connection (sort of) with her own father (John Lithgow), a spinal surgeon who walked out when she was 8 yrs. old. The fathers are obviously meant to show that our main couple may be a bit messed-up because of their fathers, but the storylines really go nowhere; existing only to cause further aggravation.
As is typical with an Apatow movie, scenes full of humor, warmth, & insight are juxtaposed with scenes of intense profanity, filth, & vulgarity. And the film suffers from the staleness of its off-the-cuff, improv-inspired riffs during the comedic scenarios. i.e., Viagra rants; Debbie's obsession with Pete eating cupcakes ... who cares!?; Pete & Debbie's 2 girls screeching at each other to no end; a Green Day singer pops up here & there; Jason Segel's physical trainer shtick {pleeease}; Pete & Debbie's Simon & Garfunkel bit; and on & on. Paul Rudd is funny, but his character makes bad choices that irritated me. If you're going BANKRUPT, why do you still own a Lexus, a BMW, going on vacation to a 5-star resort, & throwing an enormous catered party? I'm sorry -- makes no sense.
Apatow's 'This is 40' has a from-the-heart feel that allows his observations about aging, marriage, & family to feel fairly honest. Many viewers of a certain age may relate to Pete & Debbie. This is not a bad movie. But while Apatow hits the mark often enough, it is too sex-obsessed, smart-alecky, crude, & faux-angsty to fully recommend. If you love Apatow, you'll probably like the film; but that's not even a certainty. This is not a cohesive movie - rather, it's a collection of funny/aggravating elements assembled into a threadbare story. I often nodded my head pleasingly at the writing, and I laughed often enough (how can you not with that cast?) ... but too many stretches felt exactly like that - stretches. Again, skits. Too many aggravated me for one reason or another.