Review: This Is 40 (2012)
This Is 40
Rating
Director
Judd Apatow
Screenplay
Judd Apatow
Length
134 min.
Starring
Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Annie Mumolo, Robert Smigel, Megan Fox, Charlyne Yi, Graham Parker
MPAA Rating
R for sexual content, crude humor, pervasive language and some drug material
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Soundtrack
Poster
Source Material
Review
There are a lot of imitators these days of the Judd Apatow esthetic he established in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. One of those copy cats is Apatow himself. In This Is 40, Apatow turns his sense of entitlement and self-appreciation into a bloated, barely-believable mess barely saved by its leads.
The story surrounds a married couple, both turning 40, and how their lives have begun to unravel as their frustration bubbles over. Paul Rudd plays a hapless record store owner with a life-long dream of becoming a record producer. When he sets his sights on a has-been on aging musician Graham Parker (played by himself), his optimism is quickly drowned by a series of questionable business deals that has lead him towards financial ruin that a simple anniversary concert won’t rescue.
Rudd is one of the best comedic talents working today, his deadpan style is endearing, drawing you into his disjointed and hilarious take on reality. That creativity is stifled by a weak script, but not so much as to render his performances miss-able. As his wife, Leslie Mann excels at the material through her vulnerability and credible frustration.
While it’s no surprise that John Lithgow nails his brief appearance in the film, it’s more surprising that Megan Fox delivers a better performance than either Albert Brooks or Melissa McCarthy. While her character comes off as a bit of a selfish airhead, Fox gives it a light enough touch of sensitivity that it works quite well. That’s not to say that Brooks and McCarthy are bad, they aren’t, but their characters are so thinly drawn that you could open up any book of stereotypes and pull them directly from it.
Apart from these accomplished actors giving what they can, there are two cast members who fail to achieve anything of measure. Maude Apatow and Iris Apatow, the children of director Apatow and star Mann, have not an iota of their mother’s talent. Nepotism isn’t a bad thing in itself, but when your offspring aren’t up to the acting challenge their charcters require, it further cements the egotistical nature of Apatow’s stymied creativity.
Apatow’s screenplay is leaden, filled with self-righteous indignation that punishes his characters for their foolishness instead of supporting their altruism. Apatow’s knack of creating wildly excessive characters is almost akin to what Wes Anderson has done for years prior. Only with Anderson, his characters are quirky with purpose; whereas Apatow’s are purposefully gimmicky. These aren’t charcters drawn from real life, they mock them. Apatow seems intent on finding the realistic absurdism of his subjects while Anderson prefers fantastical absurdism. While both directors have a tendency to come off a bit co*cky at times, Anderson is a tremendously better showman.
Here’s where Apatow’s entrenched mythos finds itself struggling to distinguish itself in the marketplace. Admittedly, the first two times he engaged the audience with this style it worked. The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up were successes, but producing and executing since then have generated a bloated sense of identity in Apatow that hasn’t materialized in his output. This Is 40 showcases the limitations of middle-aged comedy tropes by highlighting just how far outside normalcy one has to go to find honest humor. Reality itself is a bit too bland to be adequately mimicked and it makes for a tedious experience when forced to re-live these experiences perpetually.
Can Apatow ever find a new take on his material or will he suffer the fate of another generationally-locked director like John Hughes. Hughes had significantly more room to work with as the lives of teenagers are ripe for quirky take-offs and unusual twists, but eventually Hughes ran out of material and while he had some late-career hits, he never quite lived up to the expectations put on him after his successful Brat Pack collaborations.
While it would be cruel to say this two-hour film is without redeeming qualities, especially after the effort put in by the majority of its cast, Apatow’s film is two-hours of frustration. While the audience is brought full circle by the end, it’s because of Rudd and Mann that this occurs. Apatow’s too busy trying to sabotage his own nest egg to help.
Review Written
September 24, 2013
FAQs
Sex, Romance & Nudity
Lots of sexual references, and two scenes featuring a married couple in intimate moments, including a spontaneous episode of oral sex that shows a woman's head moving up and down. A wife propositions her husband (her breasts are shown) in a scene that's anything but intimate.
What was the point of This Is 40? ›
"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.
Are Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann friends? ›
Elsewhere, Leslie Mann was asked whether her husband gets jealous watching her with Paul Rudd. She told Interview Magazine: "No, he doesn't get jealous, and it's really weird. First of all, Paul and I are like brother and sister.
Is Debbie pregnant in This Is 40? ›
Debbie and Desi meet several players from the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team at the pub. Debbie awkwardly finds out that one of the players wants to hang out with her and possibly sleep with her. She is proud that he wants to have sex with her, but admits that she is married, has two kids, and is pregnant.
Does this is 40 have a good ending? ›
Debbie and Larry take Pete to the hospital, where Larry and Debbie reconcile, with Larry recognizing that she is the fighter who keeps the family together. Pete further realizes he is actually thrilled about having another child, and reconciles with Debbie.
Can a 12 year old watch us? ›
If you are into a little suspense and plot twist you will enjoy this movie. It also has a lot of "Easter Eggs"(hints, clues that suggest deeper meaning) But because of the killing, blood, a few curse words, and one boy have severe burn scars on his face I would say 13 years and older.
What city is This Is 40 filmed in? ›
This Is 40 was shot in Brentwood and Los Angeles, California, USA. Filming also took place at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. Brentwood, CA, USA. Photo by Corey Agopian on Unsplash.
Will there be a This Is 50 movie? ›
Acclaimed comedy film director Judd Apatow plans to make a sequel to his popular movie This Is 40, titled This Is 50. A main obstacle is scheduling, as Apatow's own family, including his wife and daughters who starred in the first film, are currently busy with their own projects.
Who is Pete's dad in This Is 40? ›
Larry Is Played By Albert Brooks
Another new paternal figure introduced in This Is 40 is Pete's father Larry.
Why weren't Ben and Allison in This Is 40? ›
Despite Knocked Up being a critically acclaimed hit, This Is 40 was not as successful and ignored the main characters of Ben and Alison. Apatow cut out original references to Ben and Alison in This Is 40, explaining they are only dramatized versions of himself and his wife Leslie Mann.
For Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, friends whose acting careers have been entwined since they first worked together in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up, life professionally has rarely looked brighter.
Are Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann Friends in real life? ›
"We really became very close friends," Mann said when asked about her real-life relationship with Diaz and Upton. "They're such great women," Diaz said of her two co-stars.
Who got Debbie pregnant? ›
Debbie goes on birth control and has sex with Derek, despite being advised against doing so within 48 hours; this ultimately results in Debbie becoming pregnant, to Fiona's dismay. Lip and Amanda continue a non-exclusive relationship, though Amanda eventually begins showing feelings for Lip, which he ignores.
Do Ben and Allison stay together? ›
This results in their separation, and when Ben expresses amusem*nt at Pete's deception, it leads to a heated argument with Alison as they drive to her doctor. Angered, she ejects him from her car and abandons him in the middle of nowhere, leading to their own breakup.
Is the movie This Is 40 a sequel to Knocked Up? ›
Judd Apatow returns to the life-comedy drama style of films with This Is 40, a side-sequel to 2007's Knocked up. The movie stars Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as a married couple whose relationships are going through the motions as they approach forty years old and find themselves struggling to find time for each other.
Is This Is 40 for kids? ›
This title has: Too much sex. Too much swearing. Too much drinking/drugs/smoking.
What is the most inappropriate rating? ›
Rated PG: Parental guidance suggested – Some material may not be suitable for children. Rated PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned – Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Rated R: Restricted – Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Rated X: No one under 17 admitted.
Is the show you appropriate for 14 year olds? ›
The show is officially rated TV-MA, or not necessarily suitable for kids 17 and under. Again, you know your child and what they can handle best, but just like with R-rated movies, there's a lot to consider about what your child will see and think while watching a thriller like this.
Is it OK for a 12 year old to watch a 15? ›
15 – for 15 year-olds and over
No one younger than 15 can go and see a 15 rated film in the cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a 15 rated video, DVD or download.
