40 Days and 40 Nights (R)

Released in 2002, “40 Days and 40 Nights” is one of those movies that I almost feel guilty liking. Starring Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Paulo Costanzo, et al., the movie finds Matt (Hartnett) swearing off sex for Lent after a bad break-up with ex-girlfriend Nicole (Vinessa Shaw) and a series of unfulfilling romantic conquests in her wake. With good acting and a good script, this comedy reveals itself to be something more, where a more careless film could have traded likeable characters for fluff, and hackneyed stereotypes for plot.

That is, not to say that there are no stereotypes in this movie. Stereotype #1: No man can go any significant amount of time without sex. This point is hammered home by Matt’s roommate, Ryan (Costanzo). “It goes against science. Do you want to be the guy who goes against science?” The same can be said for the co-workers in Matt’s office. They just cannot believe that a man can go 40 days without sex.

However, this stereotype is treated with deference, as the whole subject of sex and self-gratification is treated with the open-air of talk of the weather. In a society bogged down trouble and strife, it is refreshingly naive to think that one man’s decision to go without for a small period of time would garner such attention.

When Matt steps back from thinking about sex all the time, he believes his world gets clearer. He stops panicking, stops seeing the world literally opening up into black voids, and seems, for a time, happy. His brother John (in a great performance by Adam Trese), studying to be a priest, is initially unsupportive at his brother’s vow, but manages to lend the support of a man well versed in the trials and tribulations at abstinence. His own personal journey, which happens alongside Matt’s, is a touching part of the film, and the two show real chemistry which lesser actors or a lesser movie could have just written off.

Enter Erica. After a while of no sex, Matt and Erica meet at a laundromat, and where at first Matt tries to abstain from engaging in conversation with her, they ultimately hit it off. This is much to the liking of his roommate and co-workers, who manufacture a betting pool around when Matt will “do the deed.” However, this is a new Matt, and one they don’t know. He cares about the vow. He plans on seeing it through. Here Hartnett does a very good job. In one heartfelt performance, he explains to Erica why he has taken up the vow. It’s not completely honest, but has tinges of himself in it. He’s hurting; he needs to take a step back. We believe him, and his intentions resonate with anyone dealing with a painful situation who has ever tried unorthodox ways to deal with that pain.

Understandably Erica has a hard time dealing with the situation, and while it might be a suspension of disbelief to think she would stick with Matt to the trying end, it is for reasons like this that we watch movies like this. It’s a hyper reality, and one written to show the emotions and intentions of the characters, even if reality might have a harder, shallower ending.

In the end, I think what really works about “40 Days and 40 Nights” are the characters. Like any movie written for a plethora of supporting characters, this one ran the risk of becoming too comedic, or two stereotype-laden to make a real statement. Gladly this is not the case. Matt has a support-system, and even if the guys in the film are a little on the hackneyed side, they err more on the side of movies like “The 40 Year Old Virgin” – supporting the main character, and helping him to grow, rather than regurgitating stereotypes meant to constrain. Watching this movie, one cannot help but to laugh at the jokes, but appreciate the emotions, and still in the end come away with the idea life might be a little better if everyone acted like characters like these every once in a while.