Hollywood and their incredible shallowness wants it's viewers to care a lot for the main character in this film and it's because he's good looking. Nothing more than that and I took an instant disliking to this ridiculous attempt at comedy and the rest of the characters are portrayed as either vapid or moronic. Story is about Matt Sullivan (Josh Hartnett) who is having a very difficult time getting over his breakup with Nicole (Vinessa Shaw) and he goes out with several girls but they don't amount to anything and he becomes disgusted by his own behavior. Matt decides to give up sex for Lent and at first he seems okay with it but as time goes on it gets very difficult and while at the laundromat he meets a new woman.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Matt meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon) and they have an instant attraction to one another but he has a hard time explaining his actions when he starts acting weird but she finds out the truth when Matt's co-workers put his plan on a website and place bets whether he can last the whole duration.
This film is directed by Michael Lehmann who has helmed two pretty good films (Heathers, The Truth About Cats & Dogs) that deal with relationships and human interaction but he has also directed some awful films (Hudson Hawk, Meet The Applegates, My Giant) and I certainly believe that this attempt belongs in the latter. The film is basically an attempt to showcase Josh Hartnett and take advantage of his looks which is fine but the script makes his character so nice that he's just a complete bore. Are we really supposed to feel sorry for him because he's not getting laid? Is not getting any for 40 days that long? If it is I definitely live in another universe and basically I cannot relate to Hartnett's character on any level, and I'm a single guy! Every female that works in the same office as Hartnett is smoking hot and this is an office that easily has no idea what sexual misconduct is. Hartnett is not a bad actor but when he's cast in these cutesy boy roles he's ingratiating. With the exception of Sossamon who gives an earnest attempt the rest of the cast is portrayed as uncaring jerks who seemingly have embraced their shallowness. If your looking for a smart and sophisticated comedy than keep walking because this lame film has a script that is totally devoid of anything resembling wit and intelligence.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Matt meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon) and they have an instant attraction to one another but he has a hard time explaining his actions when he starts acting weird but she finds out the truth when Matt's co-workers put his plan on a website and place bets whether he can last the whole duration.
This film is directed by Michael Lehmann who has helmed two pretty good films (Heathers, The Truth About Cats & Dogs) that deal with relationships and human interaction but he has also directed some awful films (Hudson Hawk, Meet The Applegates, My Giant) and I certainly believe that this attempt belongs in the latter. The film is basically an attempt to showcase Josh Hartnett and take advantage of his looks which is fine but the script makes his character so nice that he's just a complete bore. Are we really supposed to feel sorry for him because he's not getting laid? Is not getting any for 40 days that long? If it is I definitely live in another universe and basically I cannot relate to Hartnett's character on any level, and I'm a single guy! Every female that works in the same office as Hartnett is smoking hot and this is an office that easily has no idea what sexual misconduct is. Hartnett is not a bad actor but when he's cast in these cutesy boy roles he's ingratiating. With the exception of Sossamon who gives an earnest attempt the rest of the cast is portrayed as uncaring jerks who seemingly have embraced their shallowness. If your looking for a smart and sophisticated comedy than keep walking because this lame film has a script that is totally devoid of anything resembling wit and intelligence.