So, the upside is that the movie won’t be listed as This is 40 Part 2, or anything like it, but it will be listed as This is 50. Does anyone else see how this might be a trend if Judd Apatow really decides to keep it moving forward? Would there be a This is 60, 70, and 80 coming down the line eventually? Okay, that might sound a little over the top and not quite accurate, but it does beg the question of how long this kind of thing will last. This is 40 was interesting, funny, and did manage to show at least some aspects of what it means to hit the age of 40. But looking back on this movie now it kind of feels like it told ONE story of what it’s like to hit this age, and it wasn’t quite as comprehensive as it could have been. But that’s neither here nor there. Whether it’s necessary to keep moving forward with this idea is kind of tough to say since a lot of people might find it to be enjoyable, and they’re not wrong. But is it going to work as well the second time?
Sequels still have the type of reputation that a lot of people in the movies don’t want since they have a lot to live up to. But in this case, it’s kind of interesting to wonder how likely it is that the entire cast might be returning and if things are going to change on such a fundamental level that the sequel might not be the fun ride that the first movie was. Technically speaking, the first movie wasn’t bad, but it didn’t exactly light up the screen and it didn’t wow anyone at the box office since the numbers weren’t all that great. But the fact that this was Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprising roles that had been established in Knocked Up several years earlier gave it a kind of feel that might have helped just a little bit.
Trying to stretch what’s essentially a joke about aging into more than one movie feels like it might backfire at some point since there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. There’s no need to attempt to say that this wouldn’t be funny since with Rudd and Mann it’s bound to be hilarious in a lot of ways, but it still feels that the overall story is going to need a lot of work to make it pop in a way that will keep people watching. Considering that the first movie wasn’t a huge hit, it feels as though the sequel might not be either, but then again, with a low enough bar, it’s very possible that the sequel could be a little more successful. It’s something to think about honestly, but it’s still a possibility that the sequel will be kind of a funny flop that will be a feel-good experience that won’t generate the kind of interest that Apatow is hoping for. If he’s hoping that people will slowly gravitate toward this movie by word of mouth and social media it makes sense, but to be fair, it might attract a good number of people in their 30s and older.
The point is that trying to make a movie that’s set to depict a certain age group and their lifestyle, whether it’s a transition that’s being displayed or a set lifestyle that’s already been established for a few years, is kind of risky. Worrying about offending anyone isn’t an issue, it’s making things funny and engaging enough, while at the same time making people feel something for the characters, that can be a little tricky. The difference between movies such as Grumpy Old Men and This is 40 is that the former was set in a well-established point in the lives of the main characters, while the latter was a transitory phase that people put way too much emphasis on. Seriously, quite a few people don’t like getting older, especially when it comes to their bodies changing and the fact that they have to realize that things aren’t going to be the same as they used to be.
Getting older isn’t always fun to be certain, as many of us have already figured out over the years. Our bodies change, our way of thinking tends to change over time, and we have to deal with it in our own ways. Putting this into a movie and enjoying it isn’t too tough, but trying to get the same feeling with a sequel that’s bound to show us what it’s like to advance that feeling by a decade is bound to be something that some will enjoy and some will look at with a feeling of mild confusion as to why the attempt was made. Granted, Apatow is known for creating one funny story after another, but he’s had his duds too.
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