'THIS IS 40'

'THIS IS 40' (R) (3 1/2 STARS)

Written and Directed by Judd Apatow
Actors: Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd, Megan Fox, Chris O'Dowd, Albert Brooks, John Lithgow, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Segel.

Judd Apatow has made some of my favorite comedies, ones that are not afraid to go out on the edge. I love Apatow movies such as "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up. His movies are a cool mix of vulgarity that never comes off as crude and truthful moments that all great comedy comes from. His new movie "This Is 40" is his best movie to date and that is saying something. The movie made me laugh out loud more times than any other comedy this year and it also actually touched me. It is a hard balance making comedy blend in with little moments of drama without getting maudlin. "This Is 40" has the perfect balance. I laughed a lot but not at the expense of the characters and that is my favorite kind of comedy.

"This Is 40" also surprised me with it's realism and heart and especially how deep it was. I have never been married and I never want to but I have been around a lot of married couples and this movie depicts a marriage more realistically than most movies that have focused on marriage. It also has one of my favorite performances by an actress in 2012 by Leslie Mann. The movie centers on the marriage of Pete and Debbie who were supporting characters in Apatow's "Knocked Up". The marriage depicted is based on little moments of real life couple Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow's marriage. Maybe that is why it felt so real to me.

"This Is 40" has some truly hilarious moments and I don't want to spoil them here. The movie also has some very real and compelling drama dealing with the every day problems of the marriage and Pete and Debbie's troubles with their young daughters and in-laws. The scenes dealing with the young daughters had to be based on real events because it feels so funny, real and touching. I expected a lot of comedy focusing on the family but I did not expect some great dramatic material dealing with Debbie and Pete's respective fathers. The fathers are played wonderfully by Albert Brooks and John Lithgow. Brooks is so funny and great here there could be a movie spin off just based on his character.

I do admit that some of the comedy here can be a little forced and fake but there is some very funny scenes based on truth that don't feel phony. The movie may be overlong for some but I was never bored. I actually didn't want it to end because I loved spending time with these characters. I also have a new found crush and respect for Leslie Mann as an actress. She is that classic mix of beauty, brains and comedic timing that is flawless. The movie should make her a household name and an Oscar contender. Her comedy prowess is dead on but it is the dramatic scenes that show how great an actress she is. Go back and watch movies like "Big Daddy" and "The 40 year Old Virgin" and then see this movie and you will discover a scene stealer and great actress.

I also love Paul Rudd more than any straight man should and I think it is his down to earth charm that gets me. Whenever I see Paul Rudd in a movie, even a bad one, I can't stop smiling. His chemistry with Mann is so perfect I swear they could be a real couple in life. I felt real drama here that didn't seem forced and surprised me. There is a great warmth here mixed with some outrageous comedy moments. I laughed a lot during this movie and fell in love with all the characters. This could have been a movie with very stereotypical cariactures but the writing is very smart here and it makes the characters seem real.

I do agree there could have been a little more editing and some scenes could have been cut but after a while I didn't care, I was having too much fun. There is also material dealing with Pete's job as a music producer that seemed false. There is stuff with Pete trying to reunite Graham Parsons with his old band The Rumour. There is a performance by them in a club where hardly anybody shows up when I know Graham Parsons could sell out a venue like "The Vic Theatre" in Chicago easily. Though those problems are easily erased by the realistic material dealing with family, financial troubles and marriage. "This Is 40" grew on me and I loved it more the deeper it got into it's story. I kind of knew it was going to be hilarious but I was surprised by the realism and the touching drama that this movie provides. "This Is 40" is easily one of my favorite movies of 2012.