Rating of
3/4
A Wandering Film That Still Has Its Share of Funny
mitchellyoung - wrote on 01/01/13
This is 40 is an indulgent and imperfect film. I know this, but I still enjoyed the experience - mostly because the characters and the actors that play them are endearing and the material relevant. If there is one (possibly) fatal flaw to "This is 40," it is that Apatow tries to cram all that is tough about growing older and coping with married and family life into one plot, often resulting in a parade of sequences lamenting these issues that could come across as whiny. A lot of the plot meanders and strokes Apatow's ego, such as when he dances around a pointless subplot involving theft at Debbie's store. At the same time, though, the film does have some very honest and poignant moments that find comedy in the natural occurrences of an aging marriage. The chemistry between Rudd and Mann builds on the comic duo they formed in "Knocked Up." There are some fantastic scene stealers, too - Melissa McCarthy is hilarious in a short cameo as an enraged mother and Albert Brooks is perfectly pathetic as Pete's mooching and cowardly father. There are some gem one-liners amid the fluff, but, as someone who enjoys Apatow and the comedic work he does, I didn't mind the meandering ride the film takes us on. Others expecting a more concise and tight dramedy may feel differently.
