The only way you can describe the new trailer for This Is 40 is to say that it looks, unmistakably, like a Judd Apatow film. Not only are his wife and kids front and center, but so are a ton of other actors that he’s known for collaborating with, they’re all engaging in that stoner-shenanigans-that-still-tug-on-the-heartstrings humor that Apatow perfected if not invented, and it’s all set to a George Harrison song that feels like it was written precisely so it could accompany the sentimental hard sell of a trailer for a Judd Apatow movie.
Given that this trailer looks so very Judd Apatow, it would seem that it shouldn’t be too hard to gauge how you’re going to feel about the film based on how you’ve reacted to all of the man’s past work. Of course, his most recent film, Funny People, threw a wrench into the gears of his movie machine. The big criticism hurled at all of his films was that they were too long and too indulgent, and while Funny People had a first half that most agreed was funny, it also had a second half that saw Apatow wallowing in his filmmaking fetishes, extending a side plot beyond its breaking point, and generally proving all of his detractors right. The big question going into This Is 40 is whether it was made by a Judd Apatow who has learned from his mistakes and chosen to pull back a little, or a Judd Apatow who is going to delve even deeper into his particular interests (which, let’s face it, mostly consist of giving his wife and kids dramatic showcases).
Unfortunately, two minutes and forty-eight seconds of footage doesn’t seem to be enough to give us an idea. His wife and kids are, once again, front and center, but this time we’re dealing with a narrative where that would make sense. What is readily clear, however, is that, despite how long and specific to Apatow’s interests This Is Forty gets, it’s still going to be a movie that has plenty of laughs and a lot of charm. And, even if you’ve gotten sick of the schtick, it also adds some new ingredients to the Apatow recipe in the form of Chris O’Dowd, Albert Brooks, Melissa McCarthy, and Megan Fox’s breasts, which should be enough to freshen things up.
This Is 40 is set to hit theaters on December 21. Was this trailer enough to get you to give it a chance, or did Funny People turn you off of what Apatow is serving up for good? [Yahoo! Movies]