40 Dates and 40 Nights
Leah (Bailee Madison, "Bridge to Terabithia," TV's 'Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin') is ready to throw in the towel on her quest to find her special someone when her grandmother GiGi (Annie Potts, TV's 'Young Sheldon') makes her an offer she can't refuse - a year's free rent if she will go on "40 Dates and 40 Nights."
Laura's Review: B-
Director Andy Delaney (2024's "Crossroads") keeps a likable cast afloat over writer Sarah Howard's ("You're Dead to Me") occasionally bumpy screenplay for a pleasant if predictable yet occasionally laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy. While hardly original, "40 Dates and 40 Nights" features players who make contrived dialogue seem natural and is likely better than most direct to streaming entries in the genre.
Leah is introduced being told by her six-packed ab date that she's hot, a '6 out of 10!,' but that his condom snapped. After an amusingly embarrassing trip to the pharmacy, where her need for Baby Free is announced several times over the loudspeaker, she returns to her apartment bemoaning her lousy dating life to bestie Bianca (Luxy Banner, "Lousy Carter"). Then she's hit with another blow - entering her roommate's bedroom, she finds a note indicating that she's left and the rent is due in a couple of weeks. For reasons unstated, Bianca informs her that she is not moving in. That's where Gigi, Leah's beloved grandmother and only real family, steps in to kick the plot into motion, determined to see her grandchild find true love, but she must go on forty dates and no hanky panky.
The gay best friend trope is filled here by Steven, the waiter (Jai Rodriguez, "Bros") at Houston's Lymbar which will be the setting for most of Leah's blind encounters. The first one seems promising until he panics over the price of an appetizer and asks to go Dutch. Cue the montage of miserable dates - the guy who shovels in his food, the guy who doesn't like animals, the guy who won't stop sharing photos of his cats - until she reaches #20, Mason (Joel Courtney, "Super 8," "The Kissing Booth 2"), who recognizes Leah from that embarrassing drug store encounter. Mason, who has kind of an unformed Justin Bateman appeal, who will obviously be 'the one,' and Leah, who clearly can't recognize that too early, quickly turn to snark, Mason paying for their ordered apps and leaving, but the two will run into each other later at a club where Leah will up the ante by knocking Mason's drink onto his shirt.
After another montage of dreadful dates, including one truly inspired howler held outside of the restaurant, Leah perks up when Date #27, Jackson (Jack Schumacher, "Top Gun: Maverick"), enters the Lymbar, further impressing by ordering two glasses of champagne (Leah is very fond of her wine). But for some bizarre reason Howard never really turns him into the obstacle he should be, despite his turning up twice when Leah is with Mason. The latter happens after an encounter at a book store where they discover a shared love of manga, something not developed, followed by another at Leah's office where she helps him deliver a pitch to her boss by removing his tie, Mason's win evolving into an after work cocktail. But although the two begin to grow closer, Leah stops Mason's romantic advance as somehow negating her deal with Gigi.
There are a lot of little oddities like this, such as the repeated visits to Leah's aborted attempts at aerial silks, presumably meant to parallel her dating experiences of fighting through failure. One wishes the screenplay had gone through another rewrite or two, but the central cast works hard to overcome its flaws. Annie Potts is a known quantity, everyone's favorite MeeMaw, but Madison, who has a quirky girl next door quality, really helps elevate shaky material, ably assisted by Courtney who really clicks with the actress. Rodriguez is fun as the observant waiter turned supportive confidant, as quick to refill a wine glass as to spirit one away. If you're looking for a light and breezy romcom, "40 Dates and 40 Nights" should fill the bill.
Robin's Review: C+
Brainstorm Media releases "40 Dates and 40 Nights" in select theaters on 6/26/26. It will be available digitially on 6/30/26.
