Directed by Judd Apatow.
2012. Rated R, 134 minutes.
Cast:
Maude Apatow
Iris Apatow
Graham Parker
Tatum O’Neal
Whether she admits or not, Debbie (Mann) has just turned 40.
Even more disconcerting than her age is that her entire life seems to be
falling apart. Nearly every conversation with her husband Pete (Rudd)
disintegrates into argument. His fledgling record label is about to go under
while her clothing store is treading water, at best. On top of all this, their
oldest daughter is in full-blown crazy teen mode, looking for a shouting match
with anyone in the house, anytime. By the way, both of this couple’s daughters
are played by the directors real life daughters, Maude and Iris Apatow. Much of
This is 40 consists of the couple in question dealing with
the above problems. They must also contend with a host of periphery issues that
do nothing but throw lighter fluid on an already raging fire.
The movie gives us a fairly honest look at the relationship
of a long-married couple. Many of their concerns and conversations ring true.
It feels like we’re watching a real family, albeit a dysfunctional one on the
verge of imploding. Both Mann and Rudd feel natural in their roles and have a
nice chemistry with one another. We understand that they care deeply for one
another, are entirely too familiar with each other, and are going through a
rough patch. We get that they love their kids and would do anything for them,
but there are also times when they can’t stand them.
In typical Judd Apatow fashion, there are also plenty of
over-the-top moments. A number of these work, giving us some memorable scenes.
A few of them involve our two leads. Others feature Albert Brooks as Pete’s
forever mooching dad. Later, John Lithgow gets in on the fun as Debbie’s father
and even Megan Fox has some unforgettable moments. Granted, hers are due less
to her acting than her looks, but you take what you can get. Most indelible is
the extended cameo of Melissa McCarthy. She plays the parent of a boy that’s
been bothering Pete and Debbie’s older daughter. Her face-to-face with Pete and
the ensuing meeting in the principal’s office with both Pete and Debbie present
are the high points of the movie.
Also in usual Apatow style, the movie goes on for far too
long. It becomes too on the nose in the sense that we begin to feel as if we’re
really living every single day with these people, and not in a good way. Things
are stretched way too thin as the time between laughs keeps getting bigger
while the plot just drones on and on…and on. We’re ready for the conclusion
long before we finally get it. I’m no movie director, and have no expertise to
speak of when it comes to creating cinema so take the next sentence with a
grain of salt. In my viewing experience an hour and forty to forty-five minutes
is a good rule of thumb for comedies. Most don’t have enough funny material to
sustain more than that. This is 40 is no exception and it
runs thirty minutes past that point. Much could be cut, it seems, just from the
subplots of supporting players without altering or detracting from the main plot
one bit. There are probably fifteen or twenty minutes wasted on superfluous
storylines that didn't need to be introduced in the first place. All of this
extra time serves to wear us down and makes the final act a chore to sit
through. Our hare that bolted out of the starting gates morphs into the
tortoise ever so slowly creeping across the finish line.
