Hey folks, Harry here... Metrojoe just got back about an hour ago for a test screening of 40 DAYS & 40 NIGHTS... Lots of boobies for the boobie doobie dudes out there... ahemcoughmoriartycoughahem... that will inevitably heap loads of praise and other stuff on the seat back in front of them... Meanwhile the rest of us self-assured and restrained folks for whom breasts are merely a beautiful natural part of women meant for the beautiful and necessary process of child rearing... Well, we'll maturely watch the film and judge it for it's higher values and thoughts. Ahem...
Call me "Metrojoe"
Hey Harry! Just got back from a preview screening of "40 Days and 40 Nights," the new comedy about a guy who, after breaking up with his girlfriend, swears off sex of any kind---including masturbation and kissing. His friends and coworkers start a huge pool to see when he messes up on his vow, and he, of course, winds up meeting the girl of his dreams, but can't touch her....
I'll leave this a spoiler free review, as the film is predictable enough for people to catch the drift before the first half-hour. However, it is a genuinely funny film and the audience laughed in unison quite a few times.
Josh Hartnett plays Matt, the guy who takes the vow. I must say that I've always disliked him, but I actually liked him alot in this movie. He has good comedic timing and fit the role well. Shannyn Sossamon is Erica, the girl he falls hard for--she's very cute and a good actress. She's likable, though either as a result of bad editing or a thin script, she gets angry and frustrated and "where's this relationship going?" far too early in the film. Paulo Costanzo is Ryan, his (mostly) irritating, equally sex-obsessed roommate (though when you see this guy, you realize its unrealistic that he's getting ass left and right). Adam Trese is also very funny as Matt's priest-in-training brother who is having his own troubles abstaining.
The major disappointment of the film is Griffin Dunne. You can't help but feel bad for him. He's in the film (as Matt's sex deprived boss) for about fifteen minutes collectively and isn't very good. He has a moment or two, but overall, ehhhh...
As for the rest of the film...the beginning starts with a pretty dumb "Meet the Parents"/"Clueless"/"Blair Witch"-moving-camera type opening with silly music. I feared it would be crap, but it saved itself rather quickly. There are some funny dream sequences here and there, but the real humor lies in the timing of the actors. The script isn't terrific, the dialogue wouldn't have worked unless it was buoyed by a good cast--and this film has it.
"40 Days and 40 Nights" isn't a great movie--it's a fun one. It's typical, it's a little bit raunchy, a little bit syrupy, but it's far better than the piece of horse shit known as "American Pie" and far more consistent in terms of tone. It has its gags--hard-ons sticking out from under boxers and bedsheets for example--but never stoops to disgusting, pointless shit (like in, say, the excessive "Scary Movie") There are some irritating camera zoom-ins, and Josh Hartnett's character seems to trip every now and then--and no, it doesn't work. Despite is flaws, I'd definitely recommend it. Its a pretty great popcorn flick.
And for the breast obsessed men out there (like the man writing this review), there are plenty of them in the film. Woohoo :)
