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    Who needs to get older?

    Judd Apatow drags down This Is 40, a depressing, mostly unfunny look at middleage

    Alex Bentley
    Dec 21, 2012 | 6:00 am
    Judd Apatow drags down This Is 40, a depressing, mostly unfunny look at middleage
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    Judd Apatow is such a ubiquitous name in comedy these days that it’s easy to forget what a Johnny-come-lately he is. Aside from a couple of one-offs in the mid ‘90s, he’s only been in the business of making movies since 2004. And his directing career surprisingly consists of just four films.

    All of which is to say that even though his star has risen pretty quickly, he has yet to prove that he can be counted on time and again to put out a quality product. Case in point: This Is 40, on which he is the triple threat of writer, director and producer. The film follows two supporting characters from Knocked Up, Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann), as they deal with the fact that both of them are turning 40 at the same time.

    The film explores a lot of the issues that come with being at that point in life, such as the effects of age on the body, how to be a good parent, trying to work your way out of poor financial decisions and dealing with your own parents. The film has no set plot or framework; it’s essentially just a series of vignettes set loosely around the week both Pete and Debbie celebrate their birthdays.

    Even though Apatow’s star has risen pretty quickly, he has yet to prove that he can be counted on time and again to put out a quality product.

    Therein lies Apatow’s first mistake. By not giving the audience any kind of true reference point, it feels like the film is just drifting from place to place. When it’s funny, it’s really funny, but because the film jumps around so much, it never develops any kind of rhythm.

    The second mistake is one that Apatow repeats from his last directorial effort, Funny People. Much of This Is 40 is dramatic rather than comedic. There’s nothing inherently wrong with mixing drama with comedy, but the balance is tenuous and needs to have a steady hand to maintain it.

    Unfortunately, Apatow’s balance is out of whack, and so what could be interesting turns of events usually come off as plain depressing. And once you go down the Debbie Downer road, it makes it that much harder to revive any wackiness you want to portray. Characters may be able to forgive and forget, but it’s much harder for audiences to do so in just 134 minutes.

    And that’s the final mistake for Apatow: The film is in desperate need of better editors. It's about 30-40 minutes too long. There are many elements, especially those dealing with the fathers of both Pete and Debbie, which could be excised. Albert Brooks and John Lithgow, who play the respective dads, are fine actors, but their storylines are far from exciting and are often confusing.

    Rudd and Mann are two of Apatow’s staples, and their interplay is what keeps the movie going in spite of its faults. The film not only stars Mann, Apatow’s wife, but also heavily features his two daughters, Maude and Iris. Cries of nepotism quickly become moot, though, as their interaction is among the most believable in the whole film, for obvious reasons.

    As is usually the case in Apatow films, it’s the supporting characters that come off the best. Jason Segel reprises his Knocked Up role with fantastic results. Megan Fox is on a bit of a comedic roll following last year’s Friends with Kids; if she keeps it up, we may just forgive her Transformers transgressions. Other familiar faces like Michael Ian Black, Chris O’Dowd, Lena Dunham and especially Melissa McCarthy make for amusing diversions.

    Ultimately, though, Apatow’s mistakes drag This Is 40 down. The film is a slog to get through, both in terms of tone and sheer length. If this is 40, I want no part of it.

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    Traffic News

    Dallas Bike Ride event will close down streets around downtown

    Teresa Gubbins
    May 15, 2025 | 6:20 pm
    Dallas Bike Ride
    Dallas Bike Ride
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    Thousands of bicyclists are expected to hit the streets of Dallas thanks to the Dallas Bike Ride, an annual ride taking place on Saturday, May 17 that's anticipated to draw 4,000 riders.

    Described as a family-friendly celebration of cycling and community, the Dallas Bike Ride welcomes riders of all ages and abilities to cruise at their own pace past iconic Dallas landmarks including Reunion Tower and the JFK Memorial. It's a recreational ride with a festive atmosphere: snacks, drinks, photo opportunities, and live music along the route.

    The 20-mile ride is "car-free" because — just like the marathon — it blocks off the streets where it passes, and those streets include the most densely populated neighborhoods in the inner city/urban core: the Central Business District, Victory Park, the Design District, West Dallas, Kessler Park, and the Bishop Arts District.

    That means four hours of avoiding those neighborhoods if you are driving, since it begins at 8 am, and is anticipated to last until 12 pm.

    A course guide highlights the neighborhoods and times that motorists are advised to avoid.

    The ride will start at City Hall, then cross over to Victory Park, before heading to Uptown and Oak Lawn, then through the Design District, to West Dallas, before doubling back towards downtown.

    From there it will swing over to Kessler Park and Bishop Arts before returning to downtown Dallas where it will end at City Hall with a branded Methodist Dallas Finish Festival, featuring live music, a beer garden, and food trucks.

    • Downtown Dallas will be closed from 7:45 am-12 pm, along Ervay, Commerce, Young, and Marilla.
    • Victory Park will be closed from 7:51-9 am, along Houston Street and Nowitzski Way.
    • Oak Lawn will be closed from 7:53-9:35 am, along Cedar Springs, Maple Avenue, Turtle Creek Boulevard, and Oak Lawn Avenue.
    • West Dallas will be closed from 7:48-10:40 am, along Continental Avenue, Riverfront Boulevard, and Commerce Street.
    • Kessler Park will be closed from 8:28-11:08 am, along Edgefield Avenue, Kessler Parkway, and Colorado Boulevard.
    • Bishop Arts will be closed from 8:32-11:59 am, along Tyler Street, Polk Street, West 12th Street, Zang Boulevard, and Jefferson Boulevard.

    The specific streets and times are listed here.

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