40 Days and 40 Nights poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Paulo Costanzo, Stanley Anderson, Mary Gross ... see more see more... , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Michael C. Maronna , Barry Newman , Adam Trese , Griffin Dunne , Susan Bain , Glenn Fitzgerald , Monet Mazur , Michelle Harrison , Michael Macabebe , Vinessa Shaw , Dylan Neal , Terry Chen , Emmanuelle Vaugier , Jarrad Paul , Lina Teal , Aaron Trainor , Stefanie von Pfetten , Keegan Connor Tracy , Lorin Heath , Christine Chatelain , Kai Lennox , Christopher Gauthier , Alan Draven , Reuben Grundy , Jason Low , Tracy Kyser , Nicole Wilder , Chiara Zanni

Following memorable roles in the military action-adventures Pearl Harbor (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001), young actor Josh Hartnett is propelled to romantic leading man status with this semi-autobio... read more read more...graphical comedy from screenwriter Rob Perez. Hartnett stars as Matt Sullivan, a young man smarting over the bitter breakup of his most recent relationship. With Lent approaching, Matt decides to observe the 40-day tradition by abstaining from all sexual contact, including self-gratification. Once his odyssey of discipline has begun, he meets the girl of his dreams, while his ex begins campaigning to get him back. Co-starring Shannyn Sossamon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Vinessa Shaw, 40 Days and 40 Nights inspired another round of controversy between distributor Miramax and the Catholic League, which accused the film of being a "vulgar parody" of Lent. The League previously protested the company's releases of Priest (1994) and Dogma (1999). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Flixster Users

53% liked it

439,457 ratings

Critics

38% liked it

134 critics

R, 1 hr. 34 min.

Directed by: Michael Lehmann

Release Date: March 1, 2002

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: September 17, 2002

Get It:

Stats: 14,628 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 days & 40 nights 40 days & 40 nights Josh Hartnett 40 Days and 40 Nights 40 Days and 40 Nights
Upload a Photo | View All 40 Days and 40 Nights Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (14,628)

  • fb729949618
    August 1, 2011
    fb729949618
    Romantic comedy with really dry humor.
  • MizturY0da
    April 16, 2010
    MizturY0da
    Michael Lehman's "40 Days and 40 Nights" is a surprisingly funny, smart, edgy romantic comedy with an amazing sweetness to it. This is a feat given some of the graphic dialog, and outrageous sight gags. Credit the star power of Josh Hartnett, the skillful direction of Michael Leh... read moreman, and a brisk and "in your face" screenplay by Rob Perez. The movie intends to offend, and we give it permission to do so-- the effect is a fun time at the movies.

    Josh Hartnett plays young Dot Commer, Matt, who is suffering since his break up 6 months ago from Nicole (a viciously good Vinessa Shaw). Matt has visions of a Black Hole fissuring from the ceiling whenever he is having sex with women which is very often-- poor guy. Matt confides in his brother, John (Adam Trese), a priest completing his probationary period. John is not the tower of strength and inspiration that Matt is looking for. Then by design, divine intervention, or sheer insanity, Matt chooses abstinence for 40 days and nights until Lent. And this is extreme-- no fondling and... no masturbation. No one believes Matt will last 40 days, much less a week. Among the faithless is Matt's roommate, Ryan (Paulo Costanzo), who betrays Matt confidence and tells his co-workers at Matt's Internet company. They start a pool on a website predicting Matt's demise. In the meantime, Matt pursues a relationship with a great girl, Erica (a beautiful Shannyn Sossamon), who he met at the local laundromat. Also by design it just happens that Erica has a history of dating weirdos, and she works for Cyber Nanny, a company that safeguards against porn-sites. Matt also finds out that Nicole is back from Europe and now engaged, and she will not let him forget this. What makes the movie special is that Matt really falls in love with Erica without sleeping with her, and that he remains abstinent, because he said so... This is refreshing. Josh Hartnett is great here. His Matt is a good-looking, charming guy who makes an insane choice and lives with it. Hartnett also comes across as empathetic, as a man thrust in an almost impossible situation where everyone is betting on his failure. He has a quiet strength about him, is very funny, and totally believable. Shannyn Sossamon is stunning-- you can see why Matt falls for her. And when she wonders if Matt is gay, this is hilarious. Sossamon's Erica is smart and compassionate with great humanity. Playing a woman wondering why the guy she is attracted to doesn't want to have sex with her is not an easy role... or natural.

    The humor in "40 Days" is raw, though enjoy the ride. Afterall it is a romance, managed well by Lehman, Harnett, and Sossamon. And we don't mind being offended as long as it is done smartly with style, and that we are ultimately touched.
  • rezpatriot
    December 3, 2009
    rezpatriot
    I enjoyed the orginality of the film, its your post "teen flick" romance located in New York city which itself is interesting, I just wish they used more local areas of NYC instead of the flats (homes). It wasn't so much a comedy but a "feel good" flick.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    November 23, 2009
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Funny at times but really a crappy movie to see only when there's nothing else to do and that's really hard to find these days...

    Nicole broke up with Matt months ago and is now engaged to someone else. He's very good-looking and has no trouble finding other lovers, but that d... read moreoesn't help because he's still obsessed with wanting her back. Then he gets the inspiration that swearing off sex for Lent (all forms of sexual activity, even kissing or masturbation) will give him the perspective he needs. So of course a few days later he meets a woman and they fall in love. Now Matt sees his vow as a personal matter, and won't even tell her about it, but his friends think otherwise, and now the complications begin...
  • LoughnerWasLucid
    October 16, 2009
    LoughnerWasLucid
    40 days without sex? have u ever heard of virgins. theyre not complaining... wait yea they are.
  • SirPant
    September 24, 2009
    SirPant
    A wank film about someone who can?t have a wank!
  • dreamfaeries
    August 22, 2009
    dreamfaeries
    Would a guy his age really go all the way through Lent without any form of sex? Come on...
  • Deano78
    July 1, 2007
    Deano78
    A funny comedy as a boy gives up all forms of sexual activity for Lent. Will he last, especially after meeting a great girl. Not to mention his colleagues taking bets, trying their best for him to fail.
  • gatorgirl13
    May 19, 2007
    gatorgirl13
    I liked this movie. Its worth a try.
  • puffchunk
    May 6, 2007
    puffchunk
    a poor excuse for a movie plot. Who in this world really has that hard of a time going for 40 days without sex? in the real world this happens to most people all the time, and they don't end up sweating in a hallucinagenic craze over it.

View All 40 Days and 40 Nights Reviews

Critic Reviews

Robert Denerstein
August 9, 2002
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

Given its drastically contrived nature, the script gets further than I expected.

Michael Wilmington
July 20, 2002
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

You may feel like taking a vow of abstinence yourself -- at least from Hollywood youth-sex comedies. Full Review

Rex Reed
March 13, 2002
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Nothing more than a lame vehicle for teen heartthrob Josh Hartnett.

Mike Clark
March 5, 2002
Mike Clark, USA Today

It has a way of wearing out what's supposed to be knockabout farce. Full Review

Dennis Lim
March 5, 2002
Dennis Lim, Village Voice

Squeamishly risqué teen sexcom. Full Review

Richard Roeper
March 4, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Josh Hartnett is good and I love Shannyn Sossamon I think she could become a big star, but this comedy is so wrong on so many levels. Full Review

Bill Muller
March 4, 2002
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

It won't take 40 days and 40 nights to forget this turkey.

Joel Siegel
March 1, 2002
Joel Siegel, ABCNEWS.COM

What I learned from this movie: Absitenence can be a very good thing. Especially from box offices where this film is playing.

Paul Tatara
March 1, 2002
Paul Tatara, CNN.com

It comes dangerously close to being America's first sex comedy without comedy. Full Review

Desson Thomson
March 1, 2002
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

It's not Shakespeare's Twelfth Night or anything, but it's pretty darned good! Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • American Pie
    American Pie (67%)
  • The 40 Year Old Virgin
    The 40 Year Old Virgin (67%)
  • American Pie 2
    American Pie 2 (75%)
  • Love Actually
    Love Actually (67%)

More Movies like 40 Days and 40 Nights

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

40 Days and 40 Ni... : Watch Free on TV

40 Days and 40 Nights Trivia

  • How many days and nights does Josh Harnnet give up sex for lint?  Answer »
  • What movie had Heath Ledger(also in 10 things i hate about you) and Shannyn Sossamon (also in 40 days and 40 nights)  Answer »
  • ~~~Who stared in these films?~~~ Hollywood Homicide (PG-13, 2003) 40 Days and 40 Nights (R, 2002) Black Hawk Down (R, 2001) Pearl Harbor (PG-13, 2001) The Virgin Suicides (R, 2000)  Answer »
  • Which of the following movies stars Josh Hartnett and Shannon Sossamon??  Answer »
More 40 Days and 40 Nights Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All 40 Days and 40 Nights Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add 40 Days and 40 Nights to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View 40 Days and 40 Nights News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?