A smart and witty romantic farce that mixes sweet and sexy with surprising aplomb.
40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:133
Fresh:50
Rotten:83
Average Rating:4.8/10
Consensus: As romantic comedies go, 40 Days and 40 Nights is smutty, sexist, and puerile.
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Genre: Comedies
US Box Office: $37,885,539
Synopsis: Matt (Josh Hartnett) is having a hard time moving on six months after his relationship with bombshell Nicole (Vinessa Shaw) ended. He finds himself involved in empty physical relationships that are... Matt (Josh Hartnett) is having a hard time moving on six months after his relationship with bombshell Nicole (Vinessa Shaw) ended. He finds himself involved in empty physical relationships that are unfulfilling and ultimately send him fleeing. His solution is to give up sex and anything sexual for the 40 days of Lent. Initially, Matt is empowered by his decision--until he meets stunning Erica (Shannyn Sossamon), the girl of his dreams, at the local laundromat. Erica doesn't know about Matt's vow of abstinence, which impacts their budding relationship. To complicate matters more, Matt's co-workers are determined to literally put their two cents in as well by establishing a betting pool about how long Matt can keep his vow. Hartnett is endearing as the clumsy Matt, who desperately wants to do the right thing. Griffin Dunne stars as Matt's sex-starved boss. Also starring Paulo Costanzo and Maggie Gyllenhaal, the film was produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, the team that made NOTTING HILL and BRIDGET JONES' DIARY, and directed by Michael Lehmann (HEATHERS). The city of San Francisco provides a beautiful backdrop to this modern look at love that includes a touch of crude teen-movie humor. [More]
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Vinessa Shaw, Monet Mazur
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Vinessa Shaw, Monet Mazur, Griffin Dunne, Paulo Costanzo, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director: Michael Lehmann
Director: Michael Lehmann
Screenwriter: Robert Perez
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Studio: Miramax Films
Reviews for 40 Days and 40 Nights
It does nothing to challenge the self-centredness of the smug little world it depicts, and everything to endorse it.
Maybe you'll work up more sympathy than I did for this great-looking kid who encounters no difficulty whatsoever seducing any female he desires.
Wears out its welcome and ability to milk its premise long before its runtime is done.
The slapdash and vulgar second half ... saps the good will engendered by some funny gags and heartthrob Josh Hartnett's ... heart-tuggingly earnest performance.
It's the filmic equivalent of the young men it represents -- guys who think, talk and brag about sex without ever really getting any.
The first movie since Chasing Amy to successfully balance gentle romance and raunchy comedy.
Skitters between cheap, raunchy jokes, earnest homilies about abstinence and truthfulness, overheated visuals and underbaked plotting.
The underpinning misogyny of 40 Days and 40 Nights is only exceeded by its cynicism.
The way Matt's fate plays out is consistently engaging, at once clever and insightful.
Over and above the charmless subject matter, the movie is ferociously badly made and edited.
A base guy flick that's clueless about women, relationships and emotion, and even flirts with sacrilege.
Latest News for 40 Days and 40 Nights
February 01, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Keaton and Kids Hope to Score Touchdown
As the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts get ready to rumble at the Super Bowl on Sunday, Hollywood goes into counterprogramming mode and targets female moviegoers with a... More...
April 06, 2006:
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This week at the movies, we explore the joys of dance ("Take the Lead"), mistaken identity ("Lucky Number Slevin"), our national pastime ("The... More...
December 07, 2005:
"So" It Has a Good Cast!
heatGold Circle films is about to get rolling on their ensemble comedy, "Because I Said So," and the cast includes names like Keaton, Moore, Graham, Perabo, and Macht. More...
June 16, 2005:
Stanford, Levine & Several Others Head for the "Hills"
The Hollywood Reporter brings us the full cast list for the upcoming remake of Wes Craven's "The Hills Have Eyes." Filming begins rather soon, and director Alexandre... More...
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