Themes: Battle of the Sexes, Love Triangles, Twentysomething Life
Main Cast: Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Paulo Costanzo
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
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, All Movie Guide
Review
"Blasphemous" doesn't begin to describe the marginally church-themed 40 Days and 40 Nights, though its crimes against Catholicism have little to do with that label. In fact, this soulless Josh Hartnett vehicle earns contempt by being so devoid of intellect, worthwhile commentary or even playfully bad taste, it actually validates the complaints of the most reactionary religious types. The crucial mission of this kind of film is to document the simultaneously shallow trappings and sublime pleasures of physical gratification, letting one inform the other to achieve both subtle and bawdy humor. Michael Lehmann's film never finds this admittedly delicate touch, but the small number of times it even comes close is what's truly dispiriting. Its default condition is to poop on all of its characters, even the ones it considers romantic heroes, while moving from one depressingly puerile set piece to the next in halting, anti-climactic fashion. Serving as a kind of Greek chorus for this bottom feeding is no less than a dozen snarky actors most frequently employed as television commercial pitchmen, whose grating attempts to hoard the spotlight should -- but don't -- cancel each other out. Rarely, also, has a movie so awkwardly crammed its setting into each shot; if Hartnett and Shannyn Sossamon need to get into an argument, odds are the Golden Gate Bridge will be looming somewhere in the background. Catholics may be offended that this film thinks so little of their hallowed tradition of self-denial, but how little it respects the good name of sex should shock just about everyone else. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Stanley Anderson - Father Maher; Mary Gross - Mom; Maggie Gyllenhaal - Samantha; Michael C. Maronna - Bagel Boy; Barry Newman - Dad; Adam Trese - John Sullivan; Griffin Dunne - Jerry; Susan Bain - Ms. Willow; Glenn Fitzgerald - Chris; Monet Mazur - Candy; Michelle Harrison - Maureen; Michael Macabebe - Bagel Guy; Vinessa Shaw - Nicole; Dylan Neal - David; Terry Chen - Neil; Emmanuelle Vaugier - Susie; Jarrad Paul - Duncan; Lina Teal - Girl in bed; Aaron Trainor - Waiter; Stefanie von Pfetten - Girl in Chinatown; Keegan Connor Tracy - Mandy; Lorin Heath - Diana; Christine Chatelain - Andie; Kai Lennox - Nick; Christopher Gauthier - Mikey; Alan Draven - Computer Nerd; Reuben Grundy - Computer Nerd #2; Jason Low - Merj; Tracy Kyser - Business Woman; Nicole Wilder - Anastasia; Chiara Zanni - Nun
Credit
Yvonne J. Hurst - Art Director, Walter Gasparovic - Art Director, Rick Bold - Boom Operator, Joseph Middleton - Casting, Stuart M. Besser - Co-producer, Jill M. Ohanneson - Costume Designer, Nancy Noblett - First Assistant Director, Walter Gasparovic - First Assistant Director, Michael Lehmann - Director, Nicholas C. Smith - Editor, Liza Chasin - Executive Producer, Debra Hayward - Executive Producer, Katherine Gordon - Hair Styles, Rolfe Kent - Composer (Music Score), Bonnie Greenberg - Musical Direction/Supervision, L. Taylor Roberts - Makeup, Chris McMullin - Camera Operator, Sharon Seymour - Production Designer, Elliot Davis - Cinematographer, Barbara Kelly - Production Manager, Tim Bevan - Producer, Eric Fellner - Producer, Michael London - Producer, Lesley Beale - Set Designer, Don Halton - Set Designer, David Husby - Sound Mixer, Nelson Stoll - Sound/Sound Designer, David Husby - Sound/Sound Designer, Duane Dickinson - Stunts, Heath Stevenson - Stunts, David Jacox - Stunts Coordinator, Michelle Baines - Supervisor/Manager, Robert Perez - Screenwriter, Michelle Wright - Executive in Charge of Production, Stargate Digital - Digital Effects, Kathy Nelson - Executive Music Producer, Randy Spendlove - Executive Music Producer, David Galbraith - First Assistant Camera, Patrick McArdle - First Assistant Camera, Fred Boyd - Gaffer, Dennis Jones - Gaffer, John Taylor - Grip, Gary A. Williams - Grip, Jay Rupert - Grip, Richard Mall - Key Grip, Tony Whiteside - Key Grip, Ruth Hasty - Post Production Supervisor, Tony Davis - Production Coordinator, Erica Maletz - Production Coordinator, Bryan Korenberg - Properties Master, Lara P. Fox - Script Supervisor, Penny Charter - Second Assistant Director, Walter Shemly - Special Effects Coordinator, Jerry Ross - Supervising Sound Editor, Robert Shoup - Supervising Sound Editor, Kristen Johnson - Assistant Art Director, Jennifer Lung - Assistant Location Manager, Chuck Reid - Best Boy Electric, James J. Williams - Best Boy Grip, Gail Irvine - Buyer, Rick Stadder - Dolly Grip, Anneke Van Oort - Draftsman, Lenny Fisher - Electrician, Robert Harvey - Electrician, Shawn McLaughlin - Electrician, Neil Wildman - Electrician, Caroline Hardon - First Assistant Editor, Nicole Smith - First Assistant Editor, Diana Nachlik - Leadman, Randy Morton - Second Assistant Camera, Megan B. Agosto - Second Assistant Editor, Richard Long - Second Assistant Editor, Susie Milka - Set Production Assistant, Lesley Beale - Set Decorator, Barbara Munch - Set Decorator, Michael Meiser - Cable Person, Craig Brisker - Construction Foreman, Steve Holland - Generator Operator, Vivian Hengsteler - Negative Cutter, Brad Greer - Runner, Emily Coutts - Set Medic/First Aid, Debra Derkach - Set Medic/First Aid, Shelly Kennedy - Set Medic/First Aid, Christina Ferguson - Third Assistant Director, John Burke - Art Department Coordinator, Roy Waldspurger - Assistant Avid Editor, Jeremy Lew - Scenic Carpenter, Mark Spence - Scenic Carpenter, Jonathan Craig - Compositor, Rob Konuch - Compositor, Val Pfahning - Compositor
Matt is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend, Nicole, which makes it impossible for him to have relationships with other women. Matt confides to his brother, John, a priest-in-training, that he has sexual problems because of his obsession. Realizing that Lent is about to start, Matt tells John that he is going to go without sex for 40 days and 40 nights. John warns Matt that celibacy is not easy. Matt and his roommate, Ryan, are co-workers at a dot-com company in San Francisco and Ryan starts an office pool to bet on how long Matt can last.
After six days, Matt meets a girl named Erica, who works for Cyber Nanny, and they make plans to see each other in a week. When Matt and Erica meet again, they make plans to go on a date. At work, Matt finds out about the office pool and a website about his vow of chastity. Matt sees that it is been protected by Cyber Nanny and realizes that Erica must know about his abstinence. Matt and Erica go out to dinner later, and Matt sees Nicole and her new fiancé. Matt introduces Nicole to Erica, and Erica realizes that Matt's celibacy is a result of his breakup with Nicole and leaves the restaurant. Matt's co-workers attempt to get Matt to have sex by slipping him Viagra and cutting him into the office pool, but instead he goes to Erica's house. Erica and Matt have an erotic encounter without touching each other.
Matt goes to work and daydreams about his meeting with Erica and it is pointed out that he has an erection when he goes to meet a client. Matt is told to go home for the day, when Nicole then comes by to tell Matt that she has broken up with her fiancé. She wants Matt back and tries to have sex with him, but he turns her down and she leaves, saying that Matt's new-found assertiveness makes him even hotter. Nicole finds out about the office pool and bets $3,500 that she can get him to break. On the last night, Matt is handcuffed to his bed that night so he will not be able to do anything to ruin his vow. He falls asleep and has an erotic dream, but when he wakes up, Nicole is raping him. As Nicole is leaving, Erica arrives and thinks Matt has cheated on her. Matt leaves a box of reminders with Erica's roommate later, and when Erica sees it she has a change of heart and meets Matt again. Later on, Matt's friends are playing video games and hear Matt and Erica having sex. While the men are betting on how long they will have sex, Matt kicks them out. Then the guys wait outside and bet if he can stay in there for 24 hours.
The film received mixed reviews, Rotten Tomatoes rated it 38% based on 133 reviews.[1]
The Catholic League claimed the film parodied Lent in a vulgar way. The League is also known for protesting other Miramax films, such as Priest and Dogma.
