Flak Magazine: Review of 40 Days and 40 Nights, 3-8-02

Oh, that was good for me. Playful, aggressive, raunchy and tender in all the right spots, 40 Days and 40 Nights is a sensuous treat for mature audiences who like their laughs to be a little dirty.

Josh Hartnett, convincingly playing an endearing young guy that even a real young guy would want to hang out with, is the tortured chum at the center of this comedy. His character, Matt, is an emotional and social mixed bag: Matt easily seduces beautiful women, but pines for his frigid ex. He craves a deep relationship, but often settles for hot action. He engages in foreplay, but suffers panic attacks before the climax. He is a man of strong convictions and weak commitments.

So when Matt announces that for 40 days he is abstaining from sex, self gratification, kissing, dry humping, fondling, intense massages and needlessly long hugs, the people that know him best yell back, "Yeah, right!" His friends and coworkers ridicule him, bet money against him or try to tempt him into a carnal ruin. And, of course, Matt meets his soulmate while attempting to remain chaste.

From these clear, simple conflicts, 40 Days and 40 Nights hops along a smooth story arc from one inventive and hilarious situation to another. At work, Matt is cornered by young ladies who want to "take back the power" that comes from being able to deny sex. At night, he is subjected to hearing the sounds of his roommate doing the wild thing in the next room. Watching all the set-ups and plot twists in this film will give you some of the most enjoyable, carefree minutes you've spent in a dimly lit room. Yes, it will probably even be better than that one time.

What made 40 Days and 40 Nights so special that I not only remember its name but want to see it again is the film's deft exploration of what sex is to most young men: a compulsion, often welcome but occasionally loathed. Everyone understands the idea of intercourse being an urge. If body heat, chemistry, alcohol or atmosphere successfully conspire, then there is likely to be an X-rated pajama party. We've all been there and many of us have hit that.

It is also generally accepted that males don't usually read as much emotional significance into flesh dancing as females tend to. For a guy, getting it on can be as banal and physically functional as brushing his teeth. He wakes up; he feels the need; he handles his business. It's not always the stuff of poetry.

What doesn't get a lot of attention is that men can come to dread sex. Sometimes a fellow finds himself with the wrong partner, and the act is so humdrum and hollow it echoes. Sometimes a poor chap caves in to peer pressure and expectations, and the only thing made between the sheets is his regret. Sometimes a guy's sex life is a vicious cycle of bars, nightclubs, frat houses and bedrooms with no exits, and a romp is anticipated about as much as a trip to the dentist's office. Sometimes, honey, we wish we could say we had a headache.

But men aren't allowed to say no to sex. Not secular men. Not healthy men. Not your modern man. That's the joke in 40 Days and 40 Nights. Matt is doing the "unthinkable" by refusing to participate in (non-mating) mating practices.

To the film's infinite credit, it realizes the social norms it's playing against and subtly questions the status quo. Look at what happens to Matt when he gives up sex: He becomes more centered in his life, more productive at work and enters into the most gratifying relationship of his life. His decision is validated.

It's all quite reassuring. 40 Days and 40 Nights exceeds expectations by being a funny film that endorses free choice for guys and gals alike. So do if you want to and refrain if you don't. You can take whatever road you please.

— Rasheed Newson (rasheednewson@hotmail.com)