Barnes & Noble

Potentially unsavory material is deftly handled in this hip, youth-oriented comedy starring up-and-comer Josh Hartnett as a weary lothario who swears off sex for Lent. Hartnett does a great job of eliciting sympathy for a character whose behavior has bordered on smarmy. Matt is a charming, handsome yuppie genuinely pained by his failure to sustain meaningful relationships with women. Temporarily tired of "playing the game," he vows to avoid romantic entanglements for 40 days, but neither his perpetually horny roommate (Paulo Costanzo) nor his clergyman brother (Adam Trese) believes Matt can stay celibate. Neither do his co-workers, who organize a web site pool to pick the day he'll fall off the wagon. Screen newcomer Shannyn Sossamon registers strongly as the adorable girl Matt meets in a laundromat and who represents his greatest source of temptation. Director Michael Lehmann (The Truth About Cats and Dogs) and screenwriter Robert Perez poke good-natured fun at the overactive libidos and Byzantine courtship rituals of young American males. In keeping with contemporary cultural trends, sexual conduct is discussed casually and significantly demystified by being targeted for ridicule as the plot demands. Bright, breezy, and deliciously irreverent, 40 Days and 40 Nights is just the ticket for home viewers who'd like to spice up an evening with some (not too) naughty fun. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Following memorable roles in the military action-adventures Pearl Harbor (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001), young actor Josh Hartnett is propelled to romantic leading man status with this semi-autobiographical comedy from screenwriter Rob Perez. Hartnett stars as Matt Sullivan, a young man smarting over the bitter breakup of his most recent relationship. With Lent approaching, Matt decides to observe the 40-day tradition by abstaining from all sexual contact, including self-gratification. Once his odyssey of discipline has begun, he meets the girl of his dreams, while his ex begins campaigning to get him back. Co-starring Shannyn Sossamon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Vinessa Shaw, 40 Days and 40 Nights inspired another round of controversy between distributor Miramax and the Catholic League, which accused the film of being a "vulgar parody" of Lent. The League previously protested the company's releases of Priest (1994) and Dogma (1999). Karl Williams

Los Angeles Times

The way Matt's fate plays out is consistently engaging, at once clever and insightful. Kevin Thomas

Product Details

• UPC: 786936180862
• Source: MIRAMAX
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: Español
• Time: 1:35:00
• Sales Rank: 27,018

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