'This Is 40' --A Review

Went with the Missus to see Judd Apatow's latest film, This Is 40 yesterday and after sleeping on it, I'm still not entirely sure what to think of this movie. It was genuinely funny in parts, genuinely annoying in others but at the core of it remained the nice, sweetness- as with all Apatow's films I suppose.

This Is 40 chronicles a week in the life of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) that couple that featured somewhat in Knocked Up and who just seemed to rail on each other all the damn time when they were in that movie. That continues in this movie- they're both turning 40 in the same week and Debbie doesn't want to be 40. Pete is trying to hold his business together and support his kind of useless, moochy father (Albert Brooks) while trying to raise their kids Charlotte (Iris Apatow) and Sadie (Maude Apatow). Eventually, all the pressures get to them both and they just about crack before they realize that in fact, they do love each other quite a bit.

That's essentially the movie in a nutshell. They're both grappling with looming middle age, they've both got Daddy issues (Debbie's Dad played by the always awesome John Lithgow divorced her Mom when she was very young. Super abandonment thing going on) and for a lot of the movie, you're left scratching your head as to how these two have actually made it as far as they have. Debbie's got a boutique clothing store of some kind- but somebody either Jody (Charlene Yi) or Dessie (Megan Fox) is stealing from her to the tune of $12,000. Pete started his own record label that promotes obscure bands from the 70s that nobody cares about and seems frustrated when these albums don't in fact sell and/or make money. (Lena Dunham, Jason Segal and Melissa McCarthy all show up too at various points throughout the movie. Sort of an Apatow-reunion, I guess.)

But they love each other. That's what makes this all work somehow- despite the fact they both know exactly how to be as unpleasant as possible to each other in the way only married people can, I guess. They go to a therapist. They struggle with issues. (Interesting commentary on the older generation: both their parents had, in fact, started second families later in life. I sensed a spicy bouquet of disapproval about this, the way it was portrayed- especially with Pete's Dad, played by Albert Brooks. Who ended up with three kids and is unemployed. I mean, WTF- these people should know how it works. Go and get a damn job. Support your family. Or at least engage with your family. Brooks plays the stuffy, older generation, 'that's not what I do' type of a parent to perfection.)

Overall: I'm still not sure how to feel about this movie. There were genuinely funny moments and I think some hard truths about marriage and how hard it can be sometimes- even though Pete and Debbie may not be outstanding of the most functional marriage on Earth (I mean, why don't you just fess up and be honest with each other? Communication is key and these two don't communicate.) I'd say ** 1/2 out of ****. It's funny and sweet but you're just sort of left with this feeling of 'what is the point of all this?'