When This Is 40 landed in theaters, it was billed as a “sort of sequel to Knocked-Up” and that about sums it up. The film from Judd Apatow is out today on DVD and Blu-Ray and stars Paul Rudd and Apatow's real life wife Leslie Mann as the same couple they played in the 2007 smash hit starring Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen. This Is 40 finds them years later dealing with Mann’s upcoming titular birthday.
No one likes turning 40, and Apatow has hit the mark in choosing that age to center his latest comedy. As shown in the This Is 40 trailer, Mann so does not look forward to that birthday, and she insists her entire family address her as turning 39.
This Is 40 is a comedy, yes, but there are many serious issues dealt with throughout including the economic downturn, keeping marriage alive, friendship and family. Now that it has arrived on home video, perhaps legions more will check out the film than saw it in theaters. It banked a solid $68 million in theaters, fantastic for a comedy. But, we believe that the Apatow nation could have produced even better numbers and this home video release is just for them.
As we stated in our This Is 40 review, the film is not balls-to-the-walls hilarity and it shouldn’t be. Hitting “mid-life” is no laughing matter, although it is fun to laugh at.
The film is a little on the long side, as most of Apatow’s films are, yet watching it at home with the hi-def sound and picture is a nice arena for taking in the flick. As the DVD and Blu-Ray contains the unrated edition, look for it to clock in a little longer than the theatrical version.
Unlike some recent home video releases, such as The Hobbit DVD, the bonus features are aplenty on the This Is 40 DVD and Blu-Ray.
Among the highlights is The Making of This Is 40, which takes audiences behind the magic of Apatow and is a keen fly on the wall way to witness the making of a comedy. Kids on the Loose 3 showcases Apatow and Mann’s real life children, who star as Rudd and Mann’s kids in the movie. As a huge fan of Albert Brooks, who plays Rudd’s father, there are two solid featurettes that highlight the brilliant actor: This Is Albert Brooks (At Work) and Brooks-O-Rama. Both should delight his long-time fans.
And although it is short, our favorite bonus feature highlights Jason Segel’s personal trainer and an “advertisement” for his business in a video called Bodies by Jason Commercial. It almost makes us wish Segel’s character was in the movie more!
What comedy, much less an Apatow comedy with all its improv, would be complete without a gag reel? And the one on This Is 40 does not disappoint.
