Writer of Hit 'No Sex Comedy' to Speak on Campus

Author: Jack Thurston

No sex. No kissing. No self-gratification. These are some of the rules the main character in the recent "40 Days and 40 Nights" imposes upon himself. The new Miramax comedy from director Michael Lehmann ("The Truth About Cats & Dogs," "Heathers") is currently enjoying success at box offices nationwide and will be screened for free on campus on Sunday, March 17. The film's screenwriter, Rob Perez, graduated from Middlebury College in 1995. The Film/Video Program and the American Movie Club (AMC) collaborated to bring Perez to campus for the screening and a meeting with students enrolled in Lecturer in English Don Mitchell's screenwriting workshop.

This film, a first in the "no sex comedy" genre, stars Josh Hartnett as Matt, a girl-crazy Web site designer who gives up sex for Lent because of the heartbreaking end to his most recent relationship.

Immediately after he takes the vow of abstinence, Matt meets the woman of his dreams, and his buddies make bets on their friend's chances of keeping his promise.

The script is partially based on Perez's personal experience. In an interview with The Boston Herald, he revealed he made a similar vow approximately six years ago. He told the newspaper, "Back when I was 23 or 24, it was the hardest thing I could think of doing."

Roger Ebert, of The Chicago Sun-Times, wrote, "Rob Perez's dialogue about sex has more complexity and nuance than we expect." Ebert cites two scenes as particularly memorable: one where Matt's father, showing off his new hip replacement, coaches his son on sex positions, and another where Matt must subject his bed to an ultra violet lamp to check for, ahem, secretions.

Los Angeles Times film critic Kevin Thomas wrote, "Hartnett is the film's star through and through, and he reveals his versatility as a sophisticated, urbane male challenged by the depth of feeling he discovers within himself — a discovery that is totally at odds with the aggressive hedonism that rules his rigidly conformist world."

Desson Hower of The Washington Post glowingly reviewed, "It's funny! It's not Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' or anything, but it's pretty darned good! Hartnett makes an excellent withstander of urges. And first-time scriptwriter Rob Perez tweaks the familiar formula to maximum comedic capacity. Thanks to Lehmann and Perez, this abstinence comedy is a smooth, if occasionally very crude, riot. [Hartnett's Matt] understands the movie's unpretentiously wise message: Sex is life's blindfold. You gotta lift it from your eyes — at least for a while — to see things clearly."

Benefiting from a dearth of date movies in the current marketplace, "40 Days and 40 Nights" nabbed second place and $12 million at theaters its first weekend in wide release. This past weekend, the film added another seven million to its box office tally.

Sunday night's screening is at 7 p.m. Tickets are required for admission to the event. They will be available at the Wonnacott Commons office in Battell Hall South starting today.