Can we just say that this is gratuitous?

Well, I guess we have your attention now.

This is 40 should be funny. The premise of an Apatowian man-child coping with his wife, children, business, and his own mortality is promising but in actuality falls flat with few laughs in between. Not to mention that it sounded like Judd Apatow just recorded all of these snippets of conversation over a period of time at his house and thought that it would be funny for all of us to see his home movie starring his wife and children.

Man-children who refuse to become responsible may be funny at 30 but if This is 40, I’d expect a little more. Instead, we find a leprechaun’s pot of cliches which only enhance the meh factor.

Oh look, your daughter is addicted to watching Lost on her iPad. She could be doing all sorts of other things on there too! Good god, what kind of monsters has technology made? Facebook! What are those darned kids saying now? Will it effect my child’s self-esteem?

Oh look, your wife (the talented Leslie Mann) thinks she is less attractive as she ages and that’s why her husband needs Viagra. Maybe if she wasn’t incredibly attractive, even at 40, it would be a different story and a few laughs would come of it. But nope, that doesn’t happen.

Oh look, the small boutique she owns has Megan Fox working in it. I guess Leslie isn’t really attractive then. That’s what society thinks, right? I suppose that proves it.

Oh look, your wife can’t admit how old she is, even to her doctor. Getting old sucks but these people aren’t even that old. 40 isn’t a big deal especially when we are living to be 100.

Oh look, your husband tries to escape from the madness, and feeling of failure, and is normally found on the toilet playing Words with Friends. Finally, something funny that more people can relate to.

Maybe I’m just turning into a grumpy old lady but this was a let down of a movie.

Thank goodness for Melissa McCarthy, Lena Dunham and that guy Jessa is married to on GIRLS for providing some real comic relief.