A twenty-something San Francisco web designer swears off sex for the fourty days of Lent. He, of course, encounters trouble as he is simultaneously being pursued by his ex and falling for the girl of his dreams.

A ridiculous, yet oddly satisfying comedy, 40 Days and 40 Nights is funny, but without a "rompy" feel and has a generous tender side too.

Don't get me wrong, there are tremendous problems with this film. The pace is too darn slow. The director needed an assistant whaling their arm in a circular motion as a cue for the actors to pick up the pace. This, I believe, is a symptom of having an inexperienced cast. Too many secondary actors are mugging their scenes and forgetting about focus. Then there are those who simply cannot read lines. I did like two supporting characters, a brother slipping from his priesthood studies (Trese) and a very nervous boss (Dunne).

Much of the script is poorly written but with some creative settings and ideas.

Forgiving its flaws, 40 Days and 40 Nights' sedate humor and occasionally gratuitous nudity will satisfy fans of sex-comedies — if you don't mind the absence of sex. But it may also satisfy those looking for a light city-love tale to a certain degree. I was pleasantly surprised by this.

Directed by Michael Lehmann.