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Issue 48, 2013 - New

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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FILM 14 www.guestlist.net Issue 48 / 2013 THIS IS 40 In a suspiciously wise move, This Is 40 never attempts to position its central couple – Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) – as being to Knocked Up what Jack and Karen were to Will & Grace. While their own, more subdued subplot conveyed an earthy charm, one may struggle to imagine a roomful of cinemagoers debating the fate of Debbie's semen-drenched towels on the car journey home. If the original Ben/Alison storyline was your typical exploration of reluctant love, then Pete and Debbie served as a stark warning of what was to come post-honeymoon. That sense of realism is carried over to this 'sort-of' sequel, as we check in on the happy(ish) couple a few years on. Rogan and Heigl are MIA, but in their place we have worries of the financial kind, school bullies, dysfunctional grandparents, and Megan Fox hawking dresses at Debbie's boutique. What keeps desolation at bay is some vibrant cinematography and Apatow's impressively subtle script. Though perhaps robbed of a few belly laughs in the name of tonal consistency, the director maintains a peppy tone throughout, and ensures appearances from Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and Jason Segal result in some corking moments. Meanwhile, his own daughters Maude and Iris make a welcome a return as Pete and Debbie's sprogs. Considering Mann is also Apatow's wife, there is something quite comfortable about This Is 40, although that's not to say it lacks bite. It's a film that deftly probes our expectations of marriage, confronting that moment we realise that maybe this is the reality.

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