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Review: This Is 40

By River Reporter Feb 18, 2013

If you love raunchy American comedies then This Is 40 will tickle your fancy as the newest frat-boy film. The film is directed by Judd Apatow.

Anna Stayduhar  

If you love raunchy American comedies then This Is 40 will tickle your fancy as the newest frat-boy film. The film is directed by Judd Apatow and is the sequel to Knocked Up from 2007.

It stars Apatow’s wife, Leslie Mann, as Debbie and Paul Rudd as the quirky husband Pete. The two daughters, Charlotte and Sadie, are played by Iris and Maude Apatow

The plot of the film was quite drawn-out and the characters were predictable. It tells the story of a married Californian couple who realise they are both approaching 40 and feel extremely bored with their relationship.

Not only are they frightened of the idea of being older, but they are also worried about losing their home as they are swimming in debts up to their necks. The film was over two hours long and only filmed in a few locations, mainly the house of Pete and Debbie. I feel the intimate scenes were quite unnecessary and did not reflect the plot much.

Good comedic timing?

The film obviously had its moments of humour, particularly when the daughters would argue or make strange comments, which added some comic relief to Debbie and Pete’s tense arguments.

However, the comedic timing between actress Leslie Mann and actor Paul Rudd couldn’t have been better. They were probably the only actors who could portray this dysfunctional family without seeming mediocre. What makes the film even funnier is how Pete is surrounded by nagging females in the house – his ability to overcome their disputes is what endears him to the audience.  

Where is the plot? 

What seems to be the making of a heart-felt comedy turns into a giant soap opera of characters which are merely one-dimensional. Debbie’s father Oliver, played by John Lithgow, is such a mystery and is rarely seen in the film. His fractured relationship with Debbie never is repaired and left in an awkward place.

Meanwhile, Paul’s father Larry, played by Albert Brooks, is nothing more than a financial leech who decides to have his wife impregnated with IVF, only to later have three children to take care of, which he can’t even manage to do.

Is it a must-see film?

If you are a huge fan of director Judd Apatow and crave vulgar humour portrayed by an American family, then this is the film for you. It has an impressive supporting cast which includes Jason Segel and Megan Fox to name but a few. 

6/10 

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