Whether writer/director Judd Apatow is able to reach the heights of 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up ever again remains to be seen, but the way he is able to tell stories about relationships and the complexities of life is still one of a kind. Each one of us can identify with his characters in some way and can relate to what they are going through. Being raunchy and vulgar is another one of Apatow’s specialities, but that doesn’t mean his films aren’t meaningful and serve no purpose. He has a rare gift in showing us the funny, dark, messy side of things while exploring the nature of family, marriage, parenthood, and love. This could not be any more apparent than in his latest film, This Is 40.
The sort-of sequel to Knocked Up picks backs up with Pete and Debbie (Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann) who are both about to turn the big 4-0. Pete doesn’t seem to be too bothered by the number, but Debbie doesn’t like it one bit and that’s certainly expressed in the opening scene of the movie. But they aren’t the only ones getting older. Their two daughters (played by Apatow’s own daughters, Iris and Maude) are growing up fast and just like in Knocked Up, they chew up every scene they are in. Pete and Debbie are very much in love, but their marriage and love for one another is put to the test when the lies, fights, and secrets begin to escalate. This creates a divide in their marriage and the frustration, confusion, and anger comes rushing to the forefront.
The story centers around Pete, Debbie, and their daughters and, of course, they make the movie what it is, but the supporting cast is excellent and only add to the craziness. The wonderful Albert Brooks plays Pete’s dad, who has a family of his own that includes a younger wife and three kids he can’t tell apart. He is a huge mooch and has been borrowing money from his son for years. Then on the other side is Debbie’s father (John Lithgow), who also has a young family of his own, but never spends time with his daughter and two granddaughters. So with everything Pete and Debbie are having to deal with, their fathers do not exactly help matters. I think we can conclude they both have serious daddy issues.
We already know Rudd and Mann have amazing chemistry with each other and I’m glad their characters’ relationship is being showcased in a movie of their own. Pete is like many guys in the world. He loves his wife (and cupcakes) and would do anything for her, but he needs his own personal time to escape to have some peace and quiet. And his escape involves riding bikes with a group of guys wearing tight clothing and playing Scrabble on his iPad while sitting on the toilet. He does own his own record label, but it’s on life support, and he can’t tell his wife because he’s scared as hell and doesn’t want to let her down. He doesn’t want to be seen as a failure, especially in the eyes of his wife. While Pete is able to appear more calm and relaxed than Debbie, they are both quickly approaching their breaking point.
Now Debbie wears the pants in the family and likes to be upfront about her issues with the exception of her age. She wants to be young again and have her glory days back. A time when she went out and got wild, and was fun to be around. She starts wanting to change the family’s lifestyle so they can be happier and healthier. However, it doesn’t quite go over as well with the rest of the family. Yet no matter how big or small their struggles may be, Pete and Debbie are still a team even if they lose sight of that every now and then. They may want to kill each other some times, but they love each other all the time.
Okay – enough with the dramatic stuff! Have I mentioned how funny This Is 40 is?! There are scenes that will make you smile, probably even chuckle. But then there are parts that will honestly make you laugh out loud and most of them involve the hilarious Melissa McCarthy. Her scenes are ridiculous, but funny as hell. The bickering back and forth between Pete and Debbie can be harsh, but there is humor that can be found in it and Rudd and Mann do a tremendous job balancing the serious with the ludicrous.
I don’t want to take anything away from Rudd’s performance because he is great in the movie, but Mann really digs deep and unleashes in a way that she has never done before onscreen. There are so many emotions that run through the movie and she is able to capture and bottle each one and slowly pour them back out at the precise moment they are needed. It was already known how talented of an actress she is and her ability to say disgusting things while still being beautiful, but there is something different about this performance. She is acting on a new and completely different level and couldn’t be better.
My only complaint (and it’s not a huge one) is the movie doesn’t have to be as long as it is. It is almost two hours and 20 minutes and there are some parts that could have been thrown to the side. The scenes involving Megan Fox and Charlyne Yi instantly come to mind. The whole story about them working for Debbie and one of them stealing from her store is completely irrelevant to everything else that is going on. Okay we get that Fox is hot and Debbie wishes she looked like her, but in the big scheme of things, it’s not interesting and just feels out of place.
But even with every scene that’s in the movie, it is still not nearly as long as The Hobbit. So we still end on a good note. And though it may not seem like it, Apatow has this great sense of control that hides under all of the chaos. He knows life is not easy and relationships along with the people who are in them are not perfect. And I don’t care how many f-bombs are dropped, This Is 40 is a well-executed comedy about serious issues such as fighting to keep your marriage alive, not being a bad parent, and through it all, Apatow keeps the story heartfelt and honest. So for all of you who turned their backs on him after seeing Funny People, it is time for you to turn around and politely apologize because he’s still got it.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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