40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)

Director:

Michael Lehmann

Writer (WGA):

Rob Perez (written by)

Release Date:

1 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

One man is about to do the unthinkable. No sex. Whatsoever. For... 40 Days and 40 Nights

Plot:

After a brutal breakup, a young man vows to stay celibate during the 40 days of Lent, but finds the girl of his dreams and is unable to do anything about it.

Plot Keywords:

Lent | Sex | Masturbation | Dream | Love

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Josh Hartnett	...	Matt Sullivan
Shannyn Sossamon	...	Erica Sutton
Paulo Costanzo	...	Ryan
Adam Trese	...	John Sullivan
Emmanuelle Vaugier	...	Susie
Lorin Heath	...	Diana
Aaron Trainor	...	Kellner
Glenn Fitzgerald	...	Chris
Monet Mazur	...	Candy
Christine Chatelain	...	Andie
Keegan Connor Tracy	...	Mandy
Michael C. Maronna	...	Bagel Boy (as Michael Maronna)
Vinessa Shaw	...	Nicole
Stefanie von Pfetten	...	Girl in Chinatown
Stanley Anderson	...	Father Maher

Also Known As:

40 jours et 40 nuits (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA | UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #38351) | France:U | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating on appeal) | Canada:18A (Alberta) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

When Matt and Erica first meet at the laundromat, Erica is wearing a t-shirt that says "Türkiye" (Turkey) and has the map of Turkey on it. She's clearly wearing a t-shirt bought as a souvenir to give the idea that she has nothing else left to wear.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Matt gives up sexual contact etc. for Lent hence 40 days and forty nights, but the season of lent (Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday) is 46 days and 46 nights because Sundays are not counted. If Matt gave sex up for Lent, he would go 46 days and nights in a row without sex. If (as is listed at the bottom of the screen as "day # blank") he only went 40 days and 40 nights, he would be cutting out the Sundays and could do what he so desired with those days.

Quotes:

Bagel Guy: Yeah, fire in the hole.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Soundtrack:

New Sensation

Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be

First off this is far from a great movie but it's an ok night of entertainment if a) you're in the mood for a sex farce and b) there's nothing better on at the cinema. It has a lot of flaws, most notably the liberal applying of schmaltz across the whole film but it does have it's rewarding moments and interesting characters such as the Bagel guy who knows everything except how to turn up on time. A lot of the comedy is too heavy handed but there are moments which genuinely made me laugh. I particularly liked Josh Hartnett's Priest to be brother struggling to listen to Josh's tales of sexual encounters.

That said the two main characters are somewhat lacking in life and could have done with a bit more development. This is a largely French funded film and it does show in places. There are elements of French farce about it but with transposing the action to California it was always inevitable there'd be the standard Hollywood ending and it doesn't "disappoint" in that respect.

Hopefully this won't be the best film you'll see this year but it certainly could be worse.