Parents' Guide to

40 Days and 40 Nights

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Mildly amusing Josh Hartnett sex comedy.

Movie R 2002 96 minutes
40 Days and 40 Nights Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

depewcampbell
depewcampbell Adult
November 9, 2010
age 13+

Sex scenes, good message, funny. Depends on your kid....

This movie may have some explicit sex scenes and talk, but the message it actually a good one. Basically the main character gives up all sexual activities, even hugging, so he can focus more on the rest of life. While he does this to get over a girl, it is shown through out the movie that without sex in the picture this guys life changes. He learns to love this girl for who she is, and he also works harder, which is kind of funny. His friend unfortunately bet to see if he can go all 40 days, and they even try and force him into losing. While the movie is more for a good laugh it still has an okay message. But it is all up to how you think your child can handle sex scenes.

This title has:

Too much sex
Great messages
MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
May 26, 2010
age 14+
I remember seeing this when I was a little younger, and being vaguely ok with the movie. I wouldn't reccomend it for children though.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After being dumped by his girlfriend, Matt (Josh Hartnett) gives up sex for Lent. Enter the lithe and lissome Erica (Shannyn Sossamon of A Knight's Tale), whom he enjoys getting to know without jumping into bed. After a while it becomes awkward, and when she finds out what he's doing and that there's actually a website devoted to whether he'll last for 40 days, she feels hurt and betrayed. Then Nicole (Vinessa Shaw), the girl who dumped him, re-enters the picture.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

At the heart of a sex farce is someone who wants to have sex (preferably illicit) but is amusingly thwarted; this gives us the best of both worlds. We get to vicariously enjoy the illicit possibilities and feel righteously smug about the agonies the characters go through in pursuit of their quest. The problem these days is in finding believable excuses for keeping the characters apart. Not quite in the category of believable, even within the low-credibility threshold of a comedy, is this movie's premise.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Matt sees the world differently (literally and metaphorically) as a result of his vow. How would his relationship with Erica have been different if he had not taken the vow? Why was he unable to enjoy casual sex? Was it really his lingering feelings for Nicole or was it a sense that he had not connected with her any more than he did with his one-night stands?

Movie Details

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