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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful:-
Holding out for the One..., 4 March 2002
Author:
Jon H Ochiai ([email protected]) from Los Angeles, CA
Michael Lehman's "40 Days and 40 Nights" is a surprisingly funny,
smart, edgy romantic comedy with an amazingly sweetness to it. This is
a feat given some of the graphic dialogue, and outrageous sight gags.
Credit the star power of Josh Hartnett, the skillful direction of
Michael Lehman, and a brisk and "in your face" screenplay by Rob Perez.
The movie intends to offend, and we give it permission to do so-- the
effect is a fun time at the movies.
Josh Hartnett plays young Dot Commer, Matt, who is suffering since his
break up 6 months ago from Nicole (a viciously good Vinessa Shaw). Matt
has visions of a Black Hole fissuring from the ceiling whenever he is
having sex with women which is very often-- poor guy. Matt confides in
his brother, John (Adam Trese), a priest completing his probationary
period. John is not the tower of strength and inspiration that Matt is
looking for. Then by design, divine intervention, or sheer insanity,
Matt chooses abstinence for 40 days and nights until Lent. And this is
extreme-- no fondling and... no masturbation. No one believes Matt will
last 40 days, much less a week. Among the faithless is Matt's roommate,
Ryan (Paulo Costanzo), who betrays Matt confidence and tells his
co-workers at Matt's Internet company. They start a pool on a website
predicting Matt's demise. In the meantime, Matt pursues a relationship
with a great girl, Erica (a beautiful Shannyn Sossamon), who he met at
the local laundromat. Also by design it just happens that Erica has a
history of dating weirdos, and she works for Cyber Nanny, a company
that safeguards against porn-sites. Matt also finds out that Nicole is
back from Europe and now engaged, and she will not let him forget this.
What makes the movie special is that Matt really falls in love with
Erica without sleeping with her, and that he remains abstinent, because
he said so... This is refreshing. Josh Hartnett is great here. His Matt
is a good-looking, charming guy who makes an insane choice and lives
with it. Hartnett also comes across as empathetic, as a man thrust in
an almost impossible situation where everyone is betting on his
failure. He has a quiet strength about him, is very funny, and totally
believable. Shannyn Sossamon is stunning-- you can see why Matt falls
for her. And when she wonders if Matt is gay, this is hilarious.
Sossamon's Erica is smart and compassionate with great humanity.
Playing a woman wondering why the guy she is attracted to doesn't want
to have sex with her is not an easy role... or natural.
The humor in "40 Days" is raw, though enjoy the ride. Afterall it is a
romance, managed well by Lehman, Harnett, and Sossamon. And we don't
mind being offended as long as it is done smartly with style, and that
we are ultimately touched.
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