40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

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

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 14	9:00 AM	COMEDY
Sun. Nov. 15	7:00 AM	COMEDY

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:

Crew or equipment visible: The cameraman is reflected in the window of the bus as they sit in the back seat.

Quotes:

Matt: Wait, wait. Don't go to sleep yet. We got to talk about something.
[pause]
Matt: Stickers. Do you like stickers?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sex Movie (2006)

Soundtrack:

Strange Disease

Terrible

I didn't find any redeeming qualities in this movie. I knew going in the movie was kind of based on the sophomoric premise that a sexually active young man was giving up sex for Lent. The movie also purports to be a comedy. So, almost all of the humor of the film revolves around Matt's (Josh Hartnett) attempt at celibacy, while apparently in his world every woman is young beautiful, and willing to have sex with him. So, you get lots of scenes of him gasping in frustration running away from women while putting ice down his pants. I found the humor witless, and below the standards of "Porky's" or typical teenage drive-in type movies.

Also, in this world were Matt lives, everyone knows about everyone else's sex lifes, they are freely discussed, and in Matt's case becomes the subject of world wide betting on the internet. While Matt seems to view this as an unfortunate turn of events, apparently he harbours no ill will towards his "friends" for publishing his plight. Or doesn't seem to be upset with them as they go out of their way to make him break is vow for Lent.

There is more to the "plot" of the movie, he meets a girl and falls in love but the movie screams the question "HOW CAN THEY BE IN LOVE IF THEY AREN'T HAVING SEX?" I'm not sure what the movie answered... it doesn't matter. The movie is absurd, the ending is meaningless.