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 This Is 40 

What grade would you give this film?
A 36%  36%  [ 4 ]
B 45%  45%  [ 5 ]
C 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
D 18%  18%  [ 2 ]
F 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Total votes : 11

 This Is 40 
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loyalfromlondon
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Post This Is 40
This Is 40

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This Is 40 is a 2012 American comedy film written, co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow. It is a spin-off sequel to the 2007 film Knocked Up and stars Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann. Filming was conducted in mid-2011, and the film was released in North America on December 21, 2012. The film continues to follow the lives of middle-aged married couple Pete and Debbie, as they both deal with turning forty, with each of their jobs and their children Sadie and Charlotte adding stress to their relationship.

The film was distributed by Universal Pictures and was filmed and produced by Apatow's company, Apatow Productions.

This Is 40 received generally mixed reviews from critics who praised its acting, and cast, as well as the film's very comedic moments and perceptive scenes, but criticized the film's overlong running time and how it is occasionally aimless.

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Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:26 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
It is strange to say, but this may tie or even top The Master as the year's most interesting, yet frustrating film. It is 135 minutes long and without form, which is a strange combination for a studio picture. It could be 20 minutes longer or 20 minutes shorter without much impact, and there are very few scenes which feel important to the max or extraneous in a significant way. It just a 135-minute collection of arguments, one-liners, and other slice-of-privileged-life moments. In my estimation, around 65 or 70 percent of it connects (either as drama or humor), and the rest is a tad mediocre. The performances are decent, if safe; no one is stretching or experimenting here, but rather repeating their established persona or routine with comfort and confidence.

General audiences and others may find it problematic on two counts: first, the downright beautiful production design (no room in the main characters' home is without elegant furniture and even fresh flowers) and the rather luxurious lifestyle on display in general combine to undermine the film's halfhearted move toward economic relevance (if in trouble, just sign Ryan Adams to your failing independent record label), and large stretches of the film are not concerned with amusing the audience, despite its status as the holiday season's highest profile comedy. The crowd I saw it with did not laugh much at least. An end-credits Melissa McCarthy improvisation reel almost seems inserted to distract audiences from the often serious, at times even hostile tone of the film they have just viewed.

Also, fans of Knocked Up should not expect much evidence this is a sequel: Seth Rogen's character is never mentioned, Jason Segel seems to be playing a new "Jason" entirely, etc.

B-

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Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:09 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
This Is 40 is barely a traditional movie, more of a scene of loosely connected scenes strung together. I liked it all the same time, though. This is nowhere near the comedic revelation that its predecessor Knocked Up was, but it's still an effective and expanded look at Debbie and Pete. It's an obviously personal project for Judd Apatow, and while the movie is arguably guilty of containing scenes put in to satisfy him more than the audience, the honesty associated with some of the material makes it worthwhile. As with the last film, Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are terrific, while the Mann/Apatow children (Maude and Iris) also see expanded roles from Knocked Up. Other actors make token appearances (Megan Fox, Jason Segel, Melissa McCarthy) but none really have much screen time, except for maybe Albert Brooks. While This Is 40 has a much different feel than Knocked Up did, it's an interesting follow-up effort. And hey, let's be glad it's not a mind-numbing exercise in tedium like Funny People was (or at least I thought it was). B


Sun Dec 23, 2012 12:37 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
And David, Seth Rogen's character IS mentioned very briefly. Pete explains he got the marijuana cookies he and Debbie have "from Ben last Christmas." I'm going to assume that's the Rogen character, at least.

No mention of Heigl's character, though. Obviously she was never going to make a cameo in this based on her comments after Knocked Up came out, but it seemed a little odd to have a number of scenes without her present or even mentioned considering how close the sisters were in the first film.


Sun Dec 23, 2012 12:39 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
Magnus wrote:
Libs wrote:
the comedic revelation that its predecessor Knocked Up was


:huh:

Knocked Up was a comedic revelation? I mean, its a very funny film and all, but 40OV was the more "ground-breaking" comedy than KU.


That was probably the wrong phrase to use. I don't think Knocked Up inspired a million other comedies or anything, I just thought it was extremely funny and one of the best comedies in the last 10 or so years.


Sun Dec 23, 2012 12:47 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
I still have trouble with Knocked Up because of how much of an irresponsible little twit Ben is.


Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:54 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
Libs wrote:
And David, Seth Rogen's character IS mentioned very briefly. Pete explains he got the marijuana cookies he and Debbie have "from Ben last Christmas." I'm going to assume that's the Rogen character, at least.

Oh. You're right.

On another note, abortion is never an option in the Knocked Up universe.

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Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:13 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
David wrote:
Libs wrote:
And David, Seth Rogen's character IS mentioned very briefly. Pete explains he got the marijuana cookies he and Debbie have "from Ben last Christmas." I'm going to assume that's the Rogen character, at least.

Oh. You're right.


Also, when Pete gets caught playing Scrabble in the bathroom, he's playing against Ben.


Sun Dec 23, 2012 10:40 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
I assume it is Ben Gibbard he is playing Scrabble with.

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Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:30 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
This is a near train wreck and one of the most disappointing movies of the entire year. :p Seriously, it was almost terrible but it was "saved" by a decent first half hour and a few nice scattered jokes. I would say a good 70% of the jokes don't work. Seriously, I felt uncomfortable because it just wasn't funny at all. There is SO MUCH that didn't need to be in it too, it could have been a pretty good movie if it was 95-100 minutes long. It overstays its welcome be 35-40 minutes easily. I also agree that it feels like the movie spans months. It just dragged. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann were good, though unspectacular. Melissa McCarthy was decent too, I guess. She did have one of the funniest lines of the movie. I know a lot of people had issues with this characters in Knocked Up because they were unlikable and Mann's character was nuts :p but I didn't think so at all, but here... They were insufferable assholes and if they were real people I probably would have punched them. Their teenage daughter? She deserves to get beaten. Hard. :p Leslie Mann? Fuck her. Her character was the worst. Who did she think she was? She was such a bitch. Anyway... I'm done ranting, I'm sorry. ;) I'm just very disappointing because this missed on almost every level.

5/10

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Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:34 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
I didn't think Mann was a bitch at all. She could go overboard, but she was pretty much 'right' on every single issue.


Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:19 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
She needs to stop baking cupcakes.

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Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:21 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
What new ground did 40 Year-Old Virgin break again? :huh:

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Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:14 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
David wrote:
She needs to stop baking cupcakes.


LOL I know! That's what I said to my friend. She bitches through the entire movie about Rudd eating all of this crap... Then stop making it so available to him? I just thought she was rude most of the time, and I really love Leslie Mann, the character was just dire, IMO.

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Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:40 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
Not that it matters but I'm pretty sure those thick-frosted cupcakes are from a place called Sprinkles.

I thought the movie was a mess but I really enjoy Leslie Mann, she was the best thing about the movie. Liked the use of Fiona Apple too. Does Apatow edit his own movies though? Jesus. It could've been half an hour shorter. Like the last scene could've been them hugging in the hospital but then we get them going to a concert.


Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:56 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
Oh, and I thought the teenage daughter was absolute torture. I guess she was supposed to be like that but all the parts with her whining made my skin crawl. And as for Heigl's Knocked Up character, there was a picture in the background with her in it.


Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:19 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
I thought this was hilarious. Not as great as Knocked Up and a little overlong, but incredibly entertaining and filled with laugh-out-loud moments. The performances are also excellent, especially from Leslie Mann. One of the year's best comedies. A-


Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:48 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
It's pretty decent. Funny, never hilarious. But man, it's long. Apatow's movies need to be better edited now.

IT'S JUST TOO LONG.


Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:45 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
Much better than people (critics) made it out to be and much funnier than I was expecting. I loved the running Lost joke.

It's nowhere near as good as it could've been though thanks to Apatow's apparent insistence that his films must run at least 130 minutes long.

***½ (B+)

I also found the beginning of the big fight a little weird when they kept referring to a scene with a therapist that was clearly cut out of the movie. It's just randomly mentioned that the two are in therapy and then it's never mentioned again. Maybe Apatow could've trimmed down the three musical performances that are in the film and included the therapy. That could've been interesting.

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Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:55 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
I thought this was fantastic. Maybe Apatow's best and most complete film. This and Funny People are so underrated

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Sun Jan 06, 2013 5:46 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
Yeah, Apatow is definitely becoming even more free-form and meandering as he makes more films, for better or for worse. Though I didn't find this as mature or insightful as Funny People, it's certainly not as (relatively) infantile as his first two films. I still had my issues with this, some of which David mentioned, and it very much feels like a "first world problems" kind of drama (why don't they just sell one of their two luxury cars to help with their finances?), but it's smart and funny and generally well-made, if rather low-stakes.

And the moustache joke absolutely slayed me. I think I laughed through the entire next scene.

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Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:36 am
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Post Re: This Is 40
This might be Apatow's best. This is very underrated. I thought it was hilarious and incredibly touching. Having married friends in their 30's and 40's I found this really honest and truthful. I couldn't help but see my friends in these characters. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann were great. Especially Mann. I loved the ending. Would enjoy revisiting these characters again someday.

9/10 (A-)


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Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:36 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
While it's not without its moments, This Is 40 is Judd Apatow's most problematic directorial effort to date. Clocking in at well over two hours, it's far too long for a film with an episodic structure and a lack of strong momentum. The characters are meant to grow over the course of the running time, but by the end, they're not in a significantly different place than they were when the film started; there's no sense that they're not going to continue to be as whiny as they are through most of the film. The lack of focus is also frustrating, and there are so many different subplots fighting for attention that not many of the conflicts feel like they've been resolved in a satisfactory fashion. That said, I did still laugh at a fair chunk of the comedic material, though the film lacks a big, uproarious moment like the chest-waxing scene in The 40-Year-Old Virgin or the doorman rant in Knocked Up. There isn't a bad performance among the adults, although I do wish that their dramatic material had called on them to do more than lament their ages or their past relationships with their parents. The kids, however, are less successful - in particular, the older one has no nuance to balance out her shrillness. I enjoyed Funny People in spite of its flaws, so this is Judd Apatow's first real disappointment for me. I laughed and I do admire that he's trying to say something about aging and having a family, but he tries to say so much that it doesn't resonate as strongly as it should.

C+

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Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:43 pm
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Post Re: This Is 40
Watched this for a second time, what a great and stunningly underrated film, really think it's an instant classic. Very few films have been made with this and Funny People's complexity in recent years and it's still hilarious. Maybe one of the 10-15 best comedies I've seen

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Sat Apr 27, 2013 1:46 pm
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Post 
This Is 40

It's a monumental achievement in exploring real human relationships and putting that to film. This is 40 should be watched by as many people as possible. Everyone is amazing in it. Everyone. Paul Rudd is awesome as usual, and so very funny, with some of the best lines. Leslie Mann is smoking fucking hot. Oh my God, how can anyone be in a marriage with her and be unhappy. Jesus Christ. Jason Segel once again excels in a comedic/realistic role. John Lithgow, Chris O'Dowd, and Maude and Iris Apatow are also standouts. Even Megan Fox is great. She's hot, but she just plays her role so authentically for a change. She finally realised that not every movie is about her. And the biggest shock of all was that Melissa McCarthy is actually great in it too as the foul-mouthed, lower class tramp - so true to life. But the most surprising source of humour was Albert Brooks. Such a natural and charismatic grandpa figure, both in stature and personality. He delivers his brilliantly crafted yet melancholic, deadpan lines with such a softness.

I don't think there are many people that could have accomplished what Judd Apatow did with this film. This is 40 is hilarious, touching, romantic, beautiful, sexy, and one of the best true-to-life rom-com dramas I've seen.

A

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