Judd Apatow has suggested that This is 40 is representative of maturity in his filmmaking.
The producer-director - who has previously had success with teen comedies like Superbad, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared - tackles a married couple's mid-life crisis in his most recent movie.
In an interview with Time Out Chicago, Apatow said that his latest project is reflective of his own maturity.
"I'm 44 years old. I've written about high school, college," he recalled. "But most of my life isn't about that transition anymore."
Apatow continued: "So it's a challenge to explore other periods of your life. I still find nothing funnier than that period. That moment when you have to define yourself and grow up is hysterical because we're all such a mess in that moment.
"That's why there'll always be a lot of movies and television about 15- to 25-year-olds 'cause it's when you make the most mistakes."
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This Is 40 stars Apatow's real-life wife Leslie Mann and their daughters along with friend Paul Rudd.
The film is now playing in the US and opens in the UK on February 14, 2013. Watch a trailer below:
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
