This Is 40 is upfront about its link to its predecessor, with the tagline ‘the sort-of sequel to Knocked Up’ prominent in its promotional collateral. The use of such a qualifying description is justified given that the film focuses on minor characters from that 2007 feature; however it also signals that this is more than a facsimile of the incredibly successful pregnancy comedy – both in format and tone.
The change is as uncomfortable as it is ambitious for writer/director Judd Apatow, in his first film since 2009’s Funny People. Surprisingly, that distress works in the service of his scenario, as he ponders the mid-life malaise of seemingly happily married Debbie (Leslie Mann, ParaNorman) and Pete (Paul Rudd, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) as they approach their 40th birthdays.
The pressure of the occasion – and of accepting their aging status – amplifies the monotony of their regular routine. Under the gaze of children Sadie and Charlotte (Apatow’s real-life offspring with Mann, Maude and Iris), the couple’s idyll crumbles as Debbie actively denies her maturation, and Pete struggles with the accountability of being a husband and father.
This Is 40 is not concerned with the dissolution of families, but rather their intricacy after years of establishment. Problems exist and are difficult to overcome, emotions are heightened as bonds weaken, and alternatives prove ever-alluring when faced with never-ending arguments. The film depicts these moments with precision, even mirroring them in its meandering, messy presentation. Once again, there is method in Apatow’s self-indulgence, as he crafts his most personal – and perceptive – offering to date.
Though This Is 40 is erratic and episodic, with unnecessarily extended scenes and instances of apparent inanity, so too is any long-term relationship. Subplots – involving Pete’s failing record label, Debbie’s thieving employees, and paternal issues on both sides – flit in and out, as do supporting players (The Sapphires’ Chris O’Dowd, Girls’ Lena Dunham, Friends with Kids’ Megan Fox and Drive’s Albert Brooks among them), mirroring reality. The film wanders, rather that addressing specific plot points, again aping actuality. What it offers instead is authenticity in its richly-drawn characters, and their relatable issues.
An apt – albeit sporadic – sense of comedy emanates from such truth, including Apatow’s expected excursions into vulgarity. However, it is the feature’s sweetness and warmth in dramatic moments that proves more fruitful, as the film observes intimacy rather than continually stages amusing circumstances. This approach pushes the performers to the fore, with Mann and Rudd – as the filmmaker’s stand-in – effortlessly up to the painfully honest and awkward task. Their endeavours may often eclipse the material, but the film resonates with realism – sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
This Is 40
Director: Judd Apatow
USA, 2013, 114 min
In cinemas January 17
Distributor: Universal
Rated: MA
Actors:
Director:
Format:
Country:
Release:
