Just finished this one...and I'm really impressed. I don't think it will trump 40 year old virgin, but it's a lot better than Funny People. Audiences will really connect with the film. IMO apatow's strenght is in his dialogue. It feels so...real. And this one is no different.

I'd say it's on par with Knocked Up. This script was written for Rudd and Mann. You can easily see them in their respective roles.

I am amazed with some of the descriptors. Some would say it's over directing. Furthermore the structure seems a bit off.

Regardless, I can't wait to see it in theater.

+++++++++++++++
Don's edit: You can read the script here.

Not surprising that the structure may read a bit off.
Sometimes I think Apatow goes for five act structure instead of three.
Given the lengths of his films, it might be worth looking into! ;D

Right now, I'm revisiting Freaks and Geeks.
What a show.

Apatow's guest writing a Simpsons episode next year!
One he wrote 22 years ago to audition for a staff position.
How cool is that?!? ;D

Regards,
E.D.

guest writing an episode of the simpsons?! looks like i have a reason to watch an episode after so many years.

totally know what you mean about the five act structure. after giving myself a day to digest the script, i realized that there are several loose threads in the script that are never tied up at the end. I'm hoping they made a few last minute edits while shooting...

still a very strong script but I was in the shower today thinking, "Wait, what ever happened to this subplot or that character?"

Quoted from albinopenguin guest writing an episode of the simpsons?! looks like i have a reason to watch an episode after so many years.

Indeed! First time in over  decade I'll tune in!
And I adore the plot, read for yourself...

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/judd-apatow-written-simpsons-episode-393682

Regards,
E.D.

that's amazing. sounds like knocked up meets flowers for algernon.

I'm a fan of the modest first scene. I actually laughed out loud (LOL) three or four times.

I'm an Apatow fan, but thought the movie "This is 40" was horrible. Got a couple chuckles out of me, but zero laughs and long stretches of checking the time, wondering when it would end. Having read what you wrote, I'm now intrigued to read the script to see if the movie was lost for me by the acting or by the interpretation from script to film or by something else.

I recall I liked the script for the first "Hangover" better than the movie--though I like the movie a lot. Contrarily I liked the movie "Wedding Crashers" much better than the script.

Yeah, man, I tried reading Wedding Crashers a couple days ago.

I stopped after the first 5 pages.  Garbage writing.

Great movie, though.

The majority of comedies are better as films than they are as scripts, because so much  comes down to delivery. I can enjoy reading scripts of established sit-coms, because I can easily imagine the actors/ characters delivering the lines. Films on the other hand? Not so much. And plus, a lot of comedy directors embrace improvisation as well, and I'm always surprised when I watch a comedy with the director's commentary on/ watch an interview with the cast and find out that my favourite lines and scenes in the movie were improvised.

That being said, I actually quite enjoyed This Is 40. It could have done with a tighter structure, because the third act was completely jumbled and just went on, and on, and on (I believe this was because neither protag had a clear goal, so because of this, Apatow didn't really know when the story should end), but I chuckled a lot and enjoyed it more than most recent comedies I've seen.

Quoted from Toby_E The majority of comedies are better as films than they are as scripts, because so much  comes down to delivery.

I SO, SO agree with you that delivery can sink or stand a comedy up. Takes a talented actor to pull it off properly. That said, I've envisioned the delivery off various set pieces or dialogue in scripts, thought that was awesome. Sometimes the writing alone, depending on the style can produce the goods. And sometimes it's realized or failed on screen depending on the director/editor/actor. Execution is key and the writer has zero affect on that--unless s/he is also the director/editor/main lead. It's maddening but exciting at the same time.

Also on this note, a lot of comedies that fail (for me, anyways) have the actors trying to "play" funny.

I find comedies work better when the actors play it "straight" as if the script was a drama and allow the events and dialogue of the story to carry the comedy. Though one wacky character in the story still works so long as the others treat it as drama. Just my humble opinion.

I didn't watch the movie, but I read half the script (which was basically like feature length anyway) and I have to agree that I thought the screenplay was quite funny. I laughed several times throughout and it all did feel true to life... even if I'm nowhere near 40. Whew!