This Is 40 (2012) User Reviews (344)

40, down

[EephusPitch · 7/10 · 1 January 2013]

Wow, this film seems to be generating a lot of hostility: I am not quite sure what's behind it. I guess people went into this expecting a sitcom-like, snappy feel good film, like 40 Year Old Virgin? Or goofy, happy-go-lucky characters such as Seth Rogen's posse in Knocked Up? Did these people not see Funny People? I am all in favor of letting Mr. Apatow develop as a director. To be clear here: this film follows Pete and Debbie's story arc from a few years after the events in Knocked Up. The are both turning 40, and neither is handling it particularly gracefully, but they weren't handling their lives and relationships particularly well in the earlier film. I found this movie to have a Larry David Show quality to it: however irrationally and offensively our protagonists behave, there are always others who will go them one better (or worse). Yes, Debbie and Pete are defective human beings; but so, I would argue, are all the people inhabiting this world, excepting the very gentlemanly Graham Parker (and Billie Joe Armstrong). Such is the stuff of comedy. Are these caricatures? Surely, and yet they are caricatures of realities which I see every day. Is the teenage daughter given to histrionics? You bet, but that is what teenagers are like, and the fact remains that teenagers turn their parents into equally irrational and histrionic characters in that relationship; I actually found it refreshing to find a teenager in a movie, played by a teenager, who isn't a wisecracking savant commenting on the follies of her elders.

To sum up, this felt to me like a mature work from a good director. There are moments of farce, slapstick, and outrageous humor, surrounded by moments where things just happen. For people who can't handle that kind of pacing, you are welcome to stay out of movie theaters, and sit in front of your TV sets: the networks are sure to have plenty of non-challenging sitcoms that are specially designed to pander to you.

Decent Apatow movie you might enjoy more if you can relate

[vithiet · 7/10 · 16 September 2021]

While I'm in my 40s I am single and childless but I hear enough stories from people around me (same age, middle class Californians) to know this movie is actually touching on what are real world situations for some people. So I didn't feel like there was much overdramatization as most critics point out. I also didn't feel like it was too long as I did enjoy the story, dialogues, etc. So I didn't think it felt drawn out. At the end of the day, most of the jokes work, plot and characters are engaging, and so there is enough to enjoy despite having nothing extremely original to rave about.

Would have been great... if it was an hour shorter!

[ariasn1 · 5/10 · 22 December 2012]

I think I know my issue with Judd Apatow's movies.

They're always overdrawn. I think Apatow is a true Auteur, and has intelligent, stylish ways of telling a story.

Like almost all his flicks, this movie has laughs, heart and drama.... A LOT of drama.

Apatow should either write, or direct his movies, not both. I have a feeling if someone else took the directors chair/ producers chair, the movie would be significantly shorter.

I don't mind drama in movies, but when the extra hour of the movie is filled up with only drama, then I become irritated.

This is a movie you should rent/watch on Netflix. The writing and direction are both good, but you need to pace yourself, take breaks, come back later after getting some air, because 2.5 hours is to long for a movie like this.

This is all my opinion of course, so take it or leave it.

Regardless of anything, enjoy your night out at the movies, you earned it!

I gave it a 10 because I didn't think anyone else would.

[chazzo-crw · 6/10 · 6 January 2013]

First and foremost, this is the first movie I have seen in years that actually has something to do with my life. I read through the threads, and I wasn't surprised that people found it depressing. They were probably expecting to see Knocked Up or I Love You Man. It lacks the stoner cool single guys being all zany about porn. Instead the comedy comes from things that forty somethings deal with: mortgage, kids, hormones, diet, expectations, etc. I rarely get to see a movie about people my age or having problems and solutions that don't involve guns, drugs, superheroes, cartoon birds, and people who have 8 figure life styles without ever having a job. Okay, so he's a groovy record co. guy, and she has a chic boutique.... Definitely way more California than my life, but still it is pretty real to life. I will concede that there are some gags that don't quite work, but like I said: I'm stickin' up for this one because I think it is getting a bad rap based on expectations. Thanks to Judd Apatow for making a movie about life instead of (hip jobs aside) hyper-situational life.

Snitches end up in ditches!

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 5 August 2013]

For a comedy, then "This is 40" had a tendency to keep on going on and on, and at almost two hours, it started to wear thin, and the movie should have had ended about 30 minutes ago.

The story in "This is 40" is about married couple Pete (played by Paul Rudd) and Debbie (played by Leslie Mann), who celebrate a 40th year birthday and are starting to have marital issues that are weighing down on them, as is their financial situation.

"This is 40" is a movie about turning 40, but struggling to keep being young. But it is also a story of relationship situations, up and downs, good and bad. And it is a movie about love conquering all obstacles.

The cast in the movie was quite good, and there is a great chemistry between Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann. And they both really carried the movie so well, and made it worthwhile to sit through. Jason Segel also makes a small entrance in this movie in a strange, but small, role. And John Lithgow also makes a nice addition to the movie, despite having a small role.

Aside from being a bit too long and dragging on, then "This is 40" is a good movie. It is the type of comedy that makes you smile and feel good, not the kind of comedy that will have tears trailing down your cheeks from laughing too hard.

Everyone hits 40 at sometime, and some deal with it better than others. "This is 40" is well worth a watch if you are sitting down with a loved one and want an evenings worth of entertainment that is best watched with the person you love.

.. makes sense only if you are actually ARE Judd Apatow

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 4 January 2014]

You may recall a major hit a few years ago entitled KNOCKED UP by Director Judd Apatow. You may also remember the "other" couple in that film, the secondary characters, the characters that the main characters "played against" for dramatic exposition. Well, Director Apatow, for reasons that are less than clear, decided to not only do a follow=up film to that hit, but to base said film on the second couple, the couple most viewers who saw the first film have likely forgotten. Wait, it gets better. The actress who played the wife in the original film (ie, in the "second" couple) is Leslie Mann, who, by coincidence, is Apatow's wife in real life. And, ergo, the star of the current film. See? And -- if you like coincidences, you will love this -- Mann herself turned 40 years old the same year that this film was made. So -- let's sum up for those of you having trouble with all this, which should be most of you -- Apatow took the secondary characters from a hit film and made a brand new film about middle aged married people, casting his very own wife. In other words, he decided to do a film about his own marriage. The reviewers have so far been less than kind about his film -- one major reviewer suggesting that all the characters are so horrible he wanted to sell the bunch of them to white slavers -- but one suspects Apatow could care less. This is the film he wanted to make and he made it. Deal with it. Comments... * if you are married, you will "get" a lot of the set pieces in the film. If you are not, you won't. In fact if you are not married, this film may possibly damage you for actual marriage, and should be avoided simply on the grounds of public policy. * Leslie Mann is one of the most photogenic actresses in Hollywood and under different circumstances probably deserved an entire film of her own, just like this one. In fact, she steals entire scenes from Meghan Fox. However, all things considered, these are NOT those circumstances... * overall a forgettable film. Unless you actually are Judd Apatow

"This is 40" IS WORTHLESS!

[mitchco10 · 2/10 · 3 October 2013]

I just sat through "This is 40" , and I think they should rename it "This is Pointless". This self indulgent , sloppy , lazy , whiny excuse for a movie should have never seen the light of day , and to think it made nearly $80 million at the box office is an embarrassment to people who have any taste for good filmmaking. While I have enjoyed some of the previous films of Judd Apatow, It seemed the studio had so much confidence in his previous track record that they just gave him a bunch of money and said "Do whatever you want" , and that's what he did , and that's what we got. The enormous waste of talents like Paul Rudd , Albert Brooks , John Lithgow , etc. , is glaring , and I was just waiting for something, anything to happen in the movie to break up the monotony. The use of Apatows two daughters , non actors they are , was as annoying as the obvious lack of a script , and the fact that a lot of the movie seemed to be ad libbed , and really had nowhere to go, and basically wasn't the least bit interesting , or funny , just annoying. The movie went on and on for over two hours , weaving it's little plot of this annoying, self absorbed little family , the plot was about How Paul Rudds' record label was struggling , how Leslie Mann , playing his wife, ran a store which was losing money from a possible thieving employee , and how their daughters were driving them crazy with their daily demands. All in all , I had to go "Who the hell cares?" These self absorbed , totally unlikeable , totally unbelievable characters had nothing to say , nowhere to go , and nothing to do. If I'm ever going to see another Apatow project , I hope he gets his head out of his butt, and can make a movie with interesting characters and situations, instead of the loathsome , uninteresting characters and storyline that go nowhere, which is what this movie is.

People need to lighten up !

[ecktrekkers · 8/10 · 18 July 2021]

All these people that gave this movie terrible ratings need to lighten up ! First many of the actors are also comedians! If you can't handle mature dark humor than this movie isn't for you . Real people have to deal with a lot of things on their plate . The two main characters are dysfunctional individuals trying to make sense out of their crazy lives . The only part that I thought was over the top was the reaction to the child that said negative things about their older daughter . What they said could be outright threats that could be criminally charged. But at the end of the day it is a dark comedy. I like the ending. When in crisis mode families come together.

a hilarious and engrossing comedy

[aminifatimaaa · 7/10 · 12 March 2019]

This is 40 is a complete surprise. A straight-forward slice of life that follows its protagonists as they cross the great, unseen barrier into their fifth decade, the film is naturally funnier, more poignant, and more engaging than might be expected. With laughter coming from the both the banalities of life and its heavier moments, the film rarely sinks into caricature and keeps tone-killing silliness to a minimum.

Not worth your time and money, depressing

[juniperty · 3/10 · 23 December 2012]

I am 39, so I could relate to this movie. There were many fun "lines" but they way they were delivered falls flat. Instead of being funny and showing us relevant insights to turning 40 and life, all this movie demonstrates is a depressing view of angry bitter people who hate each other. Scenes were just thrown together, stitched up and made into a movie. The beginning of the movie shows you that both their birthdays are close together (weeks), but the movie implies that a lot of time has past. What was that bit about them going away? I'm sorry, but if you are so broke you have to sell your house, you would not run off for the weekend. They were all happy and stoned, then what happened to that? I guess they needed something funny to show in previews. And I was thinking wasn't it his birthday party? There were many funny parts, but in between I was thinking, I'm bored and want to leave. Too bad. This movie made me angry, depressed and wanting to run as far away from these people as possible. The only really good part was during the credits when Melissa McCarthy has a bit from their outtakes.

A quality comedy which is rare to find these days

[griaustiniss · 9/10 · 31 December 2012]

Wasn't expecting much before watching the movie, but was pleasantly surprised. Firstly and most importantly the comedy was not lame. The jokes were down to earth, made sense and made me laugh sincerely. This rarely happens with all those stupid comedies nowadays. Secondly - the topic and the storyline was so relevant in regards to relationships and families of our society. Though it is a comedy genre - but underneath that you can fell that the problems and situations that are being touched are important and worth thinking about. The performances by Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann and Maude Apatow - were amazing. Paul and Leslie were perfect, but also my respects to the youngest cast members, as they were convincing and did their part flawlessly.

Relationship, Modern Marriage and Mid-life Crisis

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 25 May 2013]

Pete (Paul Rudd) is a family man married with Debbie (Leslie Mann) and they have two daughters, the teenager Sadie (Maude Apatow) and the girl Charlotte (Iris Apatow). Paul and Debbie, who lies about her age, are turning 40 and they are planning a party for Paul. He lost his job in Sony and now he has a nostalgic record label with only one artist, the British rock singer and songwriter Graham Parker that was successful in the period from the 60's to the 80's. Debbie has a fashion store with two employees, and she has just found an embezzlement of US$ 12,000.00. She was poisoned by the inefficient Jodi (Charlyne Yi) and suspects of the productive saleswoman Desi (Megan Fox).

Debbie has issues with her estranged father Oliver (John Lithgow) while Pete secretly supports his idle father Larry (Albert Brooks). Debbie meets her father and invites him for the party. Pete comes to the edge with the bankruptcy since he needs to sell their home and Debbie finds that she is pregnant but she hides from Pete. In the party, Pete has a nervous breakdown but Debbie is there to help him.

"This is 40" is a dramatic comedy about relationship, modern marriage and mid-life crisis. I believe that every viewer that is more than forty years old and married with children will identify problems that he or she might have lived. There are many hilarious scenes and references to movies and shows but also moments of drama that are immediately relieved by a joke. It is also funny because I have recently watched all the 117 episodes (and not 114) of "Lost" in five weeks, the same way Sadie did. Just as a curiosity, Leslie Mann is married with the director and writer Judd Apatow and the two girls (Maude and Iris) are their daughters. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Bem-vindo aos 40" ("Welcome to the 40")

So much potential but they just couldn't get there

[cherelle-ivonne · 5/10 · 27 December 2012]

When first seeing the trailers for this movie i was excited because i remember this couple's story in Knocked Up and it was hilarious but i think that's as far as it should've gone and i'll tell you why.

First the movie, for a comedy, is way too long. 2 hours and 15 min is a bit ridiculous. because of this the jokes were dragged out and it caused me to lose sense of the plot. There was so much potential with this story line and i felt it could've been so great and hilarious but they just didn't get there. I felt like there should've been a bit more drama to their marriage, it felt as if they were trying to make it seem so realistic that it came off fake. a lot of the problems they were experiencing does happen to real life middle aged couples but not to the extreme like they portrayed it. There were some familiar faces and others were just random (megan fox) lol but i also think a little bit more development for the new characters and maybe the old would've been nice as well. I wanted to like this movie so much because it had so many good parts where it could've been great. Maybe if they added a small portion towards the end of the movie interviewing real life 40 something year old couples and had little exerpts that would have also made the movie a bit closer to home.

All in all i do feel pocket hurt for spending 11.50 to see this movie because i was simply disappointed. Would i recommend This is 40? Probably not.

Terrible

[www-cooperwe1979 · 24 December 2012]

A good rule of thumb is any movie where Jason Segal has the funnier lines probably shouldn't have been made. This seemingly endless stream of hormonal tirades was difficult to say the least. Leslie Mann pulled this off once in Knocked Up. Which was a delightful film by comparison. But in This is 40 I could not find one sympathetic thing about her character or any of the characters for that matter. Part of the problem is KnockedUp was made before this basic cast was in every other film that came out. I kept waiting for Jonah Hill to happen by and suck up what little oxygen Leslie Mann hadn't already used. I am a fan of Judd Apatow. He's a comedy geek's comedy geek. Hence the casting of the brilliant veteran comedy writer Robert Smigel as the buddy of Pete. So I settled in to watch and see what Smigel could do as an actor. But he had two scenes in this nearly two and a half hour film. Guess they cut some of his scenes to make room for some more where Leslie Mann gets angry over nothing and curses and screams for half an hour. I was also excited to see Jim Brooks as Pete's father. He receives lots of screen time and is the second least sympathetic character. I do admire Apatow for having the courage to try and combine work and home by just putting his family on screen. But why so mundane? It's compelling when a film depicts regular people in not so regular situations. This film is made up of regular people who live in southern California and drive BMW's and Lexi and complain constantly about things that happen to everyone. It's exhausting. I will not give any attention to the children in this review as it is clear that they have received far too much attention already. On a strictly "laugh o meter" scale this film is not completely devoid of humor. Like say, Funny People. In fact, Funny People makes This is 40 look like The Jerk. Paul Rudd does fine as usual,and Megan Fox is great eye candy and "hottie relief". Here's hoping that this is the end of Apatow's tacky Cassavetes period.

Waste of a Great Cast

[rnmassage · 6/10 · 15 August 2019]

This movie has its moments, but overall its ruined by being overly long and tons of tired foul language. Highlights include the scene with Melissa McCarthy where her language is perfect, most any scene with the two actresses playing the two daughters and the Asian actress who plays one of the lead's employees. Worth a view for sure, but sad as it could have easily been a 10.

An annoying non-comedy

[neil-476 · 7/10 · 22 February 2013]

Pete and Debbie are both turning 40, though Debbie is in denial about it. They both run businesses which are going through severe financial difficulties, and Pete keeps lending money which he can't afford to his father. Their older daughter is hormonal. Debbie is discontented for reasons which don't appear entirely clear. For two and a quarter hours.

Judd Apatow writes and directs his wife and children in, what one can only assume, is a fictionalised film about his wife and children, with Paul Rudd standing in for him. Billed as a comedy, which it isn't, this is a soapy drama with some occasional humour.

I can't say I didn't enjoy it because, in an odd way, I did. But I can say that it left me feeling dissatisfied, like a meal which had some interesting tastes, but which I didn't actually like that much. The problem, I think, lies in the central characters, where any appeal lies with the actors playing them: as written, they are fairly unsympathetic. The central problem in their lives is the financial one and, by the end of the film, that remains completely unresolved (apart from the fact that they are, at least, talking about it). Otherwise it seemed to me that absolutely nothing had changed between them - yes, they love each other, but they were still going down the tubes financially and she was still going to be yelling at him every 15 minutes and he was still going to be hiding in their lock-free toilet, and perhaps that is at the centre of my unease - if only they would get to grips with the only real problem they have (which they resolutely don't) these people wouldn't actually have anything to complain about.

That's not all which displeased me. As is usual with Apatow's films, there is a monumental amount of bad language (we are, at least, spared it from the younger daughter). And, after a nasty row, the thing which brings them back together is lying about the unpleasant way they have treated another person. Lovely. Plus, 134 minutes is somewhat excessive for a film about pointless arguments.

What positive things can I say? The two girls - Apatow's and Leslie Mann's real-life daughters - show promise. Megan Fox swans around in underwear and a bikini and a face which has gone very odd, courtesy (one assumes) of unnecessary plastic surgery. John Lithgow's part is interesting and surprisingly sympathetic. And there is a terrific outtake during the end credits featuring Melissa McCarthy.

The much-hyped connection with Knocked Up is utterly irrelevant.

Just what you'd expect from a Judd Apatow comedy

[ethanbresnett · 7/10 · 4 January 2023]

Judd Apatow is such a trustworthy comedy director. His films are rarely brilliant, but they are never bad. You know the sort of humour to expect and even the actors to expect, and its this level of certainty that makes me a sucker for an Apatow film.

All of this is true for This is 40. The cast is spot on. Paul Rudd is a brilliant comedic actor as is Leslie Mann. The chemistry and partnering between them is so fun to watch. Then there's the supporting cast of Jason Segal, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd etc. The film is crammed full of terrific leads and superb cameos.

The plot is perfectly good, setting up a good variety of comedic scenarios. I do think it is a tad long for a comedy at 140 minutes, and the material gets pretty thin by the end, but this film isn't just about the comedy. There's a nice message and story in here about growing older as a couple and how marriages evolve which is well explored.

Regarding the comedy, this isn't one of Apatow's funniest. There are plenty of good moments and some nice one liners, but as an overarching story and throughout the film it didn't have me constantly laughing.

Ultimately if you are an Apatow fan, particularly if you liked Knocked Up, this film will be sure to entertain you, as it matches up pretty well to all of his other films in both style and quality.

Dragging out unfunny comedy with rude characters

[napierslogs · 4/10 · 9 February 2013]

The supporting characters of "Knocked Up" (2007) have matured. Married couple Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are turning 40. This does not mean that writer, director Judd Apatow has matured. It's a bit more of a dramedy than some of his other comedic adventures but it's still his typical low-brow humour spread out for over two hours. The characters are older, more assured in who they are, but their responses to life are less cultured.

Pete eats too many cupcakes, makes poor business decisions and doesn't tell his wife that they have to sell their house. Debbie obsesses over younger and hotter bodies, nags her husband about their sex life, and takes extreme reactions to every little, or big, thing. Debbie is rude, selfish, inconsiderate, immature and so disconnected from every reasonable woman that there is no humanly possible way to make her likable let alone funny. Pete was slightly better; still selfish, inconsiderate and immature but at least his jokes were just unfunny rather than rude.

The plot, in the loosest sense of that word, has Pete turning 40 and Debbie is going to throw his birthday party, but Pete is pre-occupied with his failing business and Debbie is pre-occupied with hating him. She is also obsessed with getting a tighter body and ogling them on younger women — this involves feeling up her young employee (Megan Fox) and hiring a fitness trainer. The main cameo of many returning Apatow players is Jason Segel as the fitness trainer. Why? Because it's supposed to be funny.

Everything in the first two hours or so was done solely for the comedy. Some of it was funny (Pete is played by Paul Rudd after all and there's a small role for Melissa McCarthy), but a lot of it was in the trailer, and most of it was just stupid. It was also at this point, the two-hour mark, that Debbie declares, "All of a sudden, we're a magnet of negativity. What did we do?" Maybe she wasn't watching the movie, but this has been two hours, it's not all of a sudden, and secondly, she is the source of the negativity. This should be the turning point for the film but Debbie still hasn't figured out how horrible of a person she is. That comes later.

Very similar to "The Five-Year Engagement" (2012), another romantic comedy that took way too long to come to its inevitable conclusion, "This is 40" only gets emotionally resonant when the characters finally make the change for the better. Too bad that in this case the characters were too far from redeemable in the first place.

Phenomenal movie

[amannuc · 10/10 · 21 March 2020]

Great complexity of emotion, humor, and wonderment. A really great movie with fantastic acting. I was very dubious about this movie, having heard it did not do well. It vastly exceeded my expectations. The relationship between the two leads is complex and fascinating. Albert Brooks as the father in law is superb. The kids are hilarious. This movie truly resonated with me -- family life can be hard, but it's also very rewarding. This movie will stay with me.

Judd Apatow's This is 40 takes its time in exploring the comedic and dramatic side of growing older

[tavm · 7/10 · 13 January 2013]

Five years after Knocked Up, writer/director Judd Apatow takes the supporting players from that movie-Paul Rudd and Apatow's wife Leslie Mann-and makes them the stars of this one. As they both reach the title age, they find themselves having lots of problems whether financial, sexual, or familial what with Rudd's needy father Albert Brooks or Ms. Mann's distant dad John Lithgow to deal with as well as their daughters played by Apatow and Mann's real-life offspring Maude and Iris Apatow. They all provide some funny yet dramatic conflict that makes this movie quite a chore for anyone just wanting a good time but also make one recognize their own real-life problems when watching and not minding it much. Also, Megan Fox, Jason Segel, and Melissa McCarthy provide their own charms especially the latter when going off on Rudd and Mann in the principal's office. Really, all I'll say is while I admit to feeling a little uncomfortable when the more realistic moments come, overall, This Is 40 is worth the trip if you want something more than escapism.

This Is 40 is horrible from the minute we re-meet Debbie

[dalydj-918-255175 · 1/10 · 28 December 2012]

"Marketed as a comedy this is film just try's to be a moving drama about a very unlikeable couple that make no sense about the actions they do and the conclusion of the film made no sense to what the aim of the film was"

In 2007 Knocked Up was released and like most people I found it enjoyable so with this film Judd Apatow decided to take two characters from that film and stretch them out to try make them more fuller characters. Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are both celebrating their 40th birthday's in the same week even if Debbie does not want people to know her real age. During this week we see their daughters who tend to scream at them a lot as well as both Debbie and Pete's businesses failing and neither one of the two able to be true to themselves blaming everyone else for their problems.

This film from minute one was insufferable for me because of how annoying Debbie was as soon as she was on screen. She seemed to act insane about being 40 which is not that old but that is just how the character is written to be. The film is way too long for the story that is being told because two and half hours is way too long for a comedy that is set in one week as we see all these events happen in the main characters life's. The film talks about the family having many problems so them spending money on an expensive trip makes no sense to the story. The ending of the film was not a good conclusion to the story because so much stuff in the film did not get a full story but also Debbie and Pete staying together made really no sense to how the two had treated each other throughout the whole film.

Leslie Mann plays Debbie and Mann as an actress just cannot act in my mind. In almost everything Mann has done she is trying to make me like her but I just do not because she never really stretches herself. The character she is given is horribly written as a shrill women who complains so much that I do not know why anyone would like her. Mann try's to be dramatic with a blank stare on her face and I could not help but laugh at how unbelievably bad she was in every scene. Paul Rudd plays Pete and he has been great in small smarts but even though he is not as bad as Mann he is not much better then she is. His character is also written badly but at least Rudd knows how to play this man because he always plays the same character which is fine but I wish he would try at least shake it up. These two are the only leads and there are way too many supporting characters by some of my favourite comedic actors who are wasted and when some are given funny lines they got no laughs from me at all.

The film tried to be funny and heart warming but nothing that the film did worked for me at all. The female characters in the film were very one note and even Mann's character was written badly as if no women had any input into the female characters. The film did not seem believable to me because this couple just did not belong together which made me hate this film even more then some of Apatow's produced efforts which are so much better then his directed/written films.

MOVIE GRADE: F- (MVP: Paul Rudd)

Apatowian genius

[LeoReich1 · 8/10 · 6 January 2013]

Judd Apatow is undoubtedly directly at the centre of the USA's comedy universe. Discovering and nurturing stars such as Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Jonah Hill, and with movies like Superbad, Bridesmaids and Anchorman to his name, Apatow has earned the power to make movies about anything he wants, starring whoever he wants. And so we have This is 40, the fourth film that he has written, directed and produced (after The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and the far weaker Funny People). Starring his wife, Leslie Mann and two kids, Maude and Iris, and filmed on the Apatow's street, this is bordering on autobiographical- even Judd's 90 year old grandmother makes an appearance.

The movie follows the story of Pete (Paul Rudd, essentially playing Apatow) and Debbie (Mann), and their two kids, Charlotte and Sadie (Maude and Iris Apatow) who we met as supporting characters in Knocked Up, and whose marriage is flagging after 14 years. The story doesn't get any more complicated than that, really. Watching as this well-to-do family of four battles through a plethora of first world problems- they might have to move from their big house to a slightly smaller big house, children spending too much time on the ipad, etc- for two and a half hours sounds like it would be agonising and boring, and yet it isn't. The fact is that this film is so observant of the upper-middle class to which it's characters belong, so honest about the little, everyday struggles that they encounter, that it feels like it's real, and real is funny. Even with hilarious supporting characters played by Megan Fox, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Segel, Chris O'Dowd, Lena Dunham and Albert Brooks, the real stars here are the family of Apatows, who nail the nuances of inter-family relationships, with Maude Apatow putting in a particularly brilliant performance as over-dramatic older sister Sadie.

This Is 40 has been unfairly criticised for over-dramatising the problems of a rich LA family, saying that the parents come across as mean and the kids as spoilt- but that analysis is shallow. This film goes deeper than that, the characters aren't upset because they're losing money, they're upset because their relationship is falling apart, that they have secrets in their marriage, that they can't be honest with each other. People seem repulsed by the fact that a comedy about the rich is trying to earn the audience's sympathy- but why not? Can a comedy only be emotional if it's about the poor? I was sure that films like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Lost In Translation had already proved that this wasn't the case. But just in case there was any doubt, This is 40 is here to do it again.

All about the soundtrack...

[fernandaantonio · 6/10 · 4 January 2013]

I have given it 6 stars simply because of the superb soundtrack that goes from Ryan Adams to Yoko Ono, Norah Jones, Jon Brion and the ever so amazing Fiona Apple. But even with Fiona's great track Dull Tool at the movie's climax, it lacks spirit and generally fails to impress. The leads Leslie Man and Paul Rudd lack chemistry leaving us feeling uncomfortable at times with lack of emotional connection. The script is also left to desire, if you're married with kids such as myself, you may connect to some parts, but essentially it isn't funny and the performances are weak (apart from a great cameo from Melissa McCarthy) I sort of wish that with such an amazing soundtrack Apatow had done more with the movie taken it is such a promising amusing theme. I have however purchased the album and highly recommend it.

This Is Terrible

[tvstew · 1/10 · 31 December 2012]

I believe I have seen all of Judd Apatow's films and I've liked a majority of them but This Is 40 is not only his worst film, it's one of the worst films I've seen this year if not ever. The film honestly felt like the script was never completed, an editor was never hired and the actors had no direction. It had none of the joy of his other films and not even the natural likability of the stars (Rudd, Mann, Segel) could save it. It felt dour and depressing all while under the naturally (or unnaturally) pleasant skies of Santa Monica.

The main couple's (Rudd and Mann) lives are coming apart because they feel they need to change but find it difficult to change. In the end, however, they come to the realization that they don't need to change...this is the worst character arc imaginable...characters who go nowhere and are somehow happy about it by the end. But then again, these characters start from a place of wealth and privilege (not that you can't have wealthy, relatable characters) so you already begin the story by thinking these characters really don't have that much to complain about (or enough to really care). They both have luxury cars, they have a family, a beautiful house...that's not exactly a starting point for an audience to feel for a set of main characters. Literally all the normally excellent actors seemed to have awful performances that felt jilted, tired and unfit (I mean try and find John Lithgow giving a bad performance ever), this was not a good turn for Megan Fox in comedy at all, go down the list...even Jason Segel who rocks almost everything he's in felt misused. The worst part of it all was it was not funny. There were a smattering of laughs for the whole film in the theater I was in.

This film was a total and utter train wreck...and I almost feel bad for Apatow except for I spent my money on this film and now I feel bad for myself. I was very close to walking out a few times and I never walk out of films. The two and a half hour run time felt way excessive and basically like a first time director who didn't know how or where to cut. And the beats didn't work (the COMEDY BEATS, that should be Apatow's strong suit).

I had to go out and watch something else the next day just to help erase the memory of this film because it was that awful. Not campy awful, not funny awful, just plain 'ol awful. I really wish someone had stopped this film at some level and tried to help them fix it because the themes are good, the actors are normally good...all the parts could all be good...but somehow this was just the opposite...just bad, really, really, bad. And as a writer/director you have to put the blame on Apatow for this one.

Great Movie About Funny People Dealing WIth Life's Serious Things

[Superrrguy · 25 December 2012]

I've read the other reviews. Yes there are fart jokes and too many Apple products. Yes, the the people are arrogant and self centered and broken. Yes, Judd Apatow put his entire family in yet another movie. Yes, there is not plot and the story is kind of depressing and all over the place and there really isn't much reason to show Debbie's shop except to show Megan Fox in a bra... but if you like crude humor, this movie is exceptional at it.

I have not laughed so much and so hard in a long time. This is a great movie about funny people dealing with life's serious things with lots of crude disgusting humor and it was awesome.