Is This Is 40 Worth Watching? Reviews & Where To Stream

Learn what critics thought out of Judd Apatow's 2010 comedy-drama movie, This Is 40, and where the Leslie Mann-starring film can be streamed.

Summary

• This Is 40 is a character-driven comedy that focuses on the humor and explores the baggage that comes with turning 40.
• Critics had mixed reviews of This Is 40, with praise for the comedic performances but criticism for its unnecessarily long runtime.
• This Is 40 can be streamed on Peacock, or rented and purchased on various platforms such as Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, and the Microsoft Store.

What did critics say about This Is 40 when it was first released in theaters and on what major platform can the movie now be streamed and watched? Written and directed by Judd Apatow, This Is 40 follows a middle-aged married couple named Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) who attempt to rekindle the spark and magic that their relationship once had. However, shortly after her 40th birthday, Debbie soon discovers that she is pregnant. She decides not to tell her husband, and this serves as one of the major conflicts in the film.

Meanwhile, Debbie also attempts to become closer to her estranged father, Oliver (John Lithgow), but finds it difficult to do so since he is always borrowing money from Pete. Debbie begs Pete to stop lending money to Oliver, but despite Pete's best efforts to cut him off, he ultimately relents and continues helping Oliver out, which creates an even bigger rift between Pete and Debbie. Overall, This Is 40 is a high-profile comedy that received mixed reviews from critics, and it can be watched on various streaming platforms.

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Everything You Need To Know About This Is 40

This Is 40 was released in 2012 and is labeled as a "sort-of-sequel" to Judd Apatow's 2007 film, Knocked Up. While This is 40 takes place five years after the events of Knocked Up and features characters from the first film, Knocked Up's lead characters, Alison (Katherine Heigl) and Ben (Seth Rogen), do not appear in This Is 40 and are never mentioned. Instead, This Is 40 focuses on Alison's older sister Debbie, and her husband Pete, who were key supporting characters in Knocked Up.

This Is 40 also features several side characters from Knocked Up like Jason (Jason Segel) and Jodi (Charlyne Yi). In November 2023, Judd Apatow announced that he is interested in making a sequel to This Is 40 called This Is 50. However, this may never come to fruition due to the busy schedule of his family, who make up most of the main cast (Mann is Apatow's wife, and Maude and Iris Apatow, who play Sadie and Charlotte in the movie, are their daughters).

Why You Should Watch This Is 40

Like many of Apatow's movies, This Is 40 is less concerned with the plot and focuses more on the characters either engaging in deep conversations or delivering hilarious jokes. By making This Is 40 a character-driven story, Apatow allows them to feel natural, so much so that it feels like viewers are watching real people. Overall, the film manages to both deliver on the humor while also exploring themes like the baggage that comes with turning 40. This Is 40 also has a hilarious blooper reel that makes the movie worth watching for that alone.

What The Critics Thought Of This Is 40

When it was released, This Is 40 was met with a mixed reception. Some critics praised the film for its strong comedic performances, especially by Mann and Rudd, as well as for its entertaining jokes and comedic set pieces. Others were much harsher towards This Is 40 with the main source of criticism being its unnecessarily long runtime. As one critic writes, "...every scene feels like an airburshed composite of dozens of rambling takes, and 133 minutes is drainingly long for a story this sitcom-slight." (via The Daily Telegraph).​​​​​​

Where To Watch This Is 40

This Is 40 is currently streaming on Peacock. The film is rated R due to sex, swearing, and drug use, so This Is 40 isn't appropriate for younger kids, who would likely be disinterested in the subject matter, anyway. Peacock subscriptions start at $5.99/month for Premium and $11.99/month for Premium Plus. However, if streaming on Peacock is not an option, then the film can also be rented or purchased on various platforms. These options include:

• Apple TV: Rent for $3.99 (HD); Buy for $14.99 (HD)
• Amazon Prime Video: Rent for $3.99 (SD or HD); Buy for $14.99 (SD or HD)
• YouTube: Rent for $3.79 (HD); Buy for $14.69 (HD)
• Google Play: Rent for $3.79 (HD); Buy for $14.69 (HD)
• Vudu: Rent for $3.99 (4K UHD); Buy for $14.99 (4K UHD)
• Microsoft Store: Rent for $3.99 (SD or HD); Buy for $14.99 (SD or HD)

Where To Watch This Is 40

• This is 40

  Director:

  Judd Apatow

  Release Date:

  2013-01-10

  Cast:

  Paul Rudd, Melissa McCarthy, Iris Apatow

  Writers:

  Judd Apatow

  Runtime:

  134minutes

  Genres:

  Romance, Comedy

  Budget:

  $35 million

  Studio(s):

  Universal Pictures

  Distributor(s):

  Universal Pictures