Line #8 Film/FortyDaysAndFortyNights


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/40_days_and_40_nights_2002.jpg]]
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3	''40 Days and 40 Nights'' is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann, written by Creator/RobPerez, and starring Creator/JoshHartnett, Creator/ShannynSossamon, Creator/PauloCostanzo, and Creator/VinessaShaw.
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5	Matt Sullivan (Hartnett), after a bad breakup and finding out his ex-girlfriend Nicole (Shaw) is now engaged to another man, decides to give something up for Lent: Namely, [[CelibateHero any form of sex]], including [[SexualEuphemism keeping himself company]]. When his friend/roommate Ryan (Costanzo) and their co-workers find out, they make a SideBet that he won't make it, which eventually goes viral with people online betting as to what day and manner in which he'll break the vow. Things go a bit awry when he meets Erica (Sossamon), the girl of his dreams, soon after.
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7	!!This film contains examples of:
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9	* AllMenArePerverts: The film ignorantly seems to imply that the main character is crazy or stupid for abstaining from sex to get a clearer head, insisting that it's in his nature to screw anything that moves. It's further backed by the other characters who mock him and later try to sabotage his decision, seemingly for no real reason.
10	* AlmightyJanitor: The bagel guy (played by [[Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete Michael Maronna]]) seems to know ''everything''. Incidentally, he's how Matt found out about Nicole's engagement.
11	* ArtisticLicenseReligion: The premise, and the very title of the film, put the duration of Lent at 40 days. This is correct in that the days observed as Lent between Ash Wednesday and Easter are 40. In actual duration however, the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter is 46 days and 46 nights - Sundays aren't counted as part of Lent. If Matt was calling his vow over as of 40 days past Ash Wednesday, it'd still be a week until Easter.
12	** There's also the issue of an unmarried person giving up sex for Lent. As the Church views premarital sex as a sin, it's something he really shouldn't be doing in the first place, meaning it's not much of a sacrifice.
13	* TheBet: What day and act Matt will break his vow of celibacy to.
14	* BettyAndVeronica: Erica (brunette but nice) and Nicole (blonde but not so nice).
15	* BlackComedyRape: [[spoiler:Matt getting raped in his sleep by his ex is intended as this.]]
16	* BoyMeetsGirl: Part of the movie's plot.
17	* CheekCopy: One of Matt's female co-workers uses this to try to seduce him.
18	* ColdTurkeysAreEverywhere:
19	** ...But do not expect the same results if attempted in the real world if you are not [[MrFanservice Josh Hartnett]].
20	** Also {{invoked}}, as his female co-workers don't like the thought of him [[AllWomenArePrudes upsetting the amount of sexual power that women have in relationships]] and try to get him to break his vow for a cut of the betting pool.
21	* DestructoNookie: [[spoiler:After Matt's Lent vow is complete...let's just say he and Erica need to stock up on some essentials]].
22	* DirtyOldMan: Matt's boss Jerry, whose wife doesn't put out like she used to.
23	* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: [[spoiler:Nicole handcuffs Matt to his bed and has sex with him while he's asleep and, therefore, can't consent. The only person who has a problem with it is Erica, who thinks [[NotWhatItLooksLike Matt had consensual sex with Nicole]], forcing him to [[TheUnfairSex beg for Erica's forgiveness]], while Nicole's act of sexual assault is brushed off as just [[BlackComedyRape a comically desperate form of cheating on their bet]] and not... y'know, '''sexual assault'''. Even Matt and Erica just seem to shrug it off once they agree that "it doesn't count."]] Audiences' reaction to it at the time were pretty negative.
24	* EroticDream: [[spoiler:During his final day of Lent, Matt has a dream of flying over a field made of breasts, then seeing Erica naked atop a washing machine in a laundromat as she goads him on to orgasm.]]
25	* EroticEating: Matt catches a glimpse of a random woman eating a banana a...''certain'' way.
26	* FakeOrgasm: Early in the film, Matt fakes an orgasm with his date. However, she is unconvinced and demands to see his condom. Matt's next instinct is to quickly roll off of her and run out his bedroom in search of something, anything white.
27	%%* FallingInLoveMontage
28	* FanDisservice: [[spoiler:Matt's EroticDream about Erica at the end is [[CrashingDreams ruined]] by brief shots of Nicole sexually assaulting him in reality.]]
29	* FanserviceExtra: One fantasy sequence Matt has is of every woman he sees naked. Cue topless women galore (all of them young and good-looking).
30	* GirlOnGirlIsHot: Two of Matt's female co-workers pull this to try and get Matt to crack.
31	%%* GirlPosse: There's one at Matt's workplace.
32	* GRatedSex: [[spoiler:Matt and Erica engage in this using a flower]].
33	* TheImmodestOrgasm:
34	** Early in the film, Matt [[FakeOrgasm fakes an orgasm]] with his date. [[NoSell She isn't convinced]].
35	** Matt also overhears Ryan and a girl having sex.
36	* ItsNotYouItsMe: Matt tells Erica something like this when trying to explain his vow of celibacy.
37	* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Nicole, as mentioned, sexually assaults Matt and gets the pooled money, and just skankily saunters off into the night]].
38	* TheLoinsSleepTonight: What kick-starts the plot, since Matt has Nicole (or, more accurately, her recent engagement) stuck in his head.
39	* LoopholeAbuse: Erica accepts Matt's apology [[spoiler: for [[VictimBlaming being raped]]]] by agreeing that "it doesn't count."
40	* TheModestOrgasm: [[spoiler:Erica has one after Matt [[GRatedSex blows a flower across her body]]]].
41	* TheMole: Ryan reports on Matt's activities during Lent.
42	%%* NatureAdoresAVirgin
43	* ParallelPornTitles: Ryan finds a tape of ''[[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom In Diana Jones and the Temple of Poon]]''.
44	* RagingStiffie: In the last few days of Lent, Matt's knocking things off of the table when he turns.
45	* SomethingElseAlsoRises: An example that combines {{fanservice}} with FanDisservice, given the context. [[spoiler:The parts of Matt's EroticDream where Erica lays naked atop a washing machine, stares down at him sultrily, and goads him on as his arousal builds is [[CrashingDreams interspersed with shots of]] [[DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale Nicole mounting him]] and goading him on as well until he opens the washing machine, causing a torrent of water to gush out while, in reality, he climaxes before waking up to [[OhCrap find Nicole straddling him]].]]
46	* TheUnfairSex: Paired with NotWhatItLooksLike, forcing [[spoiler:Matt to beg Erica's forgiveness for having been '''raped''']].
47	* VowOfCelibacy: Matt makes one to give up sex (or anything sexual) for the title 40 days (of Lent). When he does this, his friends make bets about when he'll fail, and people conspire to break it.
48	* WorldOfJerkass: Just about every supporting character in the film is a jerk. Matt's seminarian brother John doesn't support or help him stay celibate. Ryan reports on Matt's activities to his co-workers, some of whom try to get Matt to break his vow through a number of ways, ranging from producing a CheekCopy to going as far as to [[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink lace Matt's orange juice with Viagra]] (though Jerry ends up drinking it instead). And [[spoiler:Nicole literally rapes him]].

Context Film / FortyDaysAndFortyNights