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Review

The 40 Year Old Virgin

Director

Judd Apatow

Year

2005

Rating

Reviewed by

Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho

Review date

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) is the title character, a guy for whom it simply never happened. Long ago he quit trying, and started living a very quiet, simple life, working in a sports store, riding a bicycle, and collecting toys. Much like he does with his toys, he keeps himself inside his original wrapping, never planning to open it, though he knows the value of the content highly increases for keeping it untouched for such a long time.

One day, his workmates (Paul Rudd, Romany Malco and Seth Rogen) invite him to a poker match (their last option, to be sure) and find out he’s a virgin. He regrets saying what he said and letting them find out and is scared of what’s to come. He’s right: everyone at work finds out quickly, and his new buddies become obsessed with changing that status. Not easy for a guy who has already become pretty sure that he’ll die a virgin, and is OK with that… or is he? In the process of partying, hanging out, meeting girls, and pretending he’s someone he’s not, Andy meets Trish (Catherine Keener), a divorced woman who’s trying to run a business and a family and is something of a mess, but pretty nice, and who shows a genuine interest for Andy.

The film is composed of comedic moments and valuable insights. The most important aspect is it takes its characters seriously and puts them in the right context of their age. Even though some of them are childish and behave as teenagers, they’re pretty aware of their real age and seek some stability one way or the other. This means the movie’s far from a raunchy teenage comedy; instead, it’s a movie about grown-up people looking for their yet-unknown place in life. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t enough funny moments to make your belly ache. Carell is hilarious in an amiable sense which makes him extremely likable. He and director Apatow co-scripted and they made sure to make the story quite complete with all sorts of comedy, from physical (i.e. a waxing scene) to ingenious (i.e. a flirting scene in a book store) to dumb (i.e. an attempt to put on a condom). There’s also a lot of truth in the vision of sex as a way of reinsuring oneself, an escape from insecurity, a mere custom… or a precious thing.

And there’s romance, the most ordinary kind with an extraordinary twist. To be sure, the proceedings don’t always ring true though, especially in this subplot. Even though the chemistry between Carell and Keener is undeniable, I’m not sure I swallowed what went on and how it did. But in the end, I did enjoy the outcome very much, and was happy about the way it ended…

…which is followed by the wackiest closing scene ever seen! Hilarious!

Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Jonah Hill and others add fun to the proceedings through their good performances. This movie is one to have a good time.

“Do you like to... do it yourself?”

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Other reviews of The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005): Morris

Review

The 40 Year Old Virgin

Director

Judd Apatow

Year

2005

Rating

Reviewed by

José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris

Review date

Monday, October 10, 2005

I didn’t really know what to expect coming into this movie. It got good reviews and became a late summer hit, but still, I had never really seen Steve Carell in anything and at almost two hours I thought the movie had to be really good to keep the momentum going. I had also seen the trailers a lot of times, and with this kind of comedy, trailers usually ruin the best jokes. I was skeptical, and after the credits rolled, I became a believer.

Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) is a lonely geek who gets a kick out of collecting toy figures, playing videogames and watching “Survivor” with his neighbors. He works at an electronics store, where one night his co-workers David (Paul Rudd), Jay (Romany Malco), and Cal (Seth Rogen) find out that he’s still a virgin... and determine to change that. Hilarity ensues. But when a friendly customer, Trish (Catherine Keener), shows a sudden serious interest in Andy, his perspective changes a bit, or not.

When you get a movie with a title like this, you kind of know what to expect. Wrong! The 40 Year Old Virgin is not only a crude R-rated sex comedy, it is also a sweet endeavor where love and friendship take center stage. Sure, it is filled, and I mean, filled, with laugh-out-loud romps and sequences that highlight the movie’s lighter tone. But it also has a strong undercurrent of what really matters in life, and it’s done without ever losing comedic momentum. The movie really is funny from start to finish, and I was shocked by that.

Kudos to co-writers Carrell and director Judd Apatow. They bring a good level of sincerity to an otherwise silly movie. Their kind of comedy never feels forced and is almost always on-target. I cannot even mention all the great scenes because there are too many of them, but some that come to mind involve waxing, condoms, flirting at a nearby library, speed-dating, urinating, singing Guatemalan songs, getting into a bathtub, and an absolutely unexpected finale that makes absolutely no sense yet feels perfect for the movie.

That said, there is a sight-gag involving Andy and Trish just before that ending that is the funniest thing in the movie… at least to me.

I also loved the evolving romance between these two. They’re mature, easy-going and have real chemistry. I went with the flow and enjoyed the hell out of their relationship.

Steve Carell is really funny. I know that’s not news, but I just wish he can maintain this level of finesse in his acting choices, and not go all Will Ferrell on us. His comedic timing is extraordinary. Also showing up to give the movie a slice of credibility is the always-amazing Catherine Keener, who’s ravishing. Yet every supporting member is perfect in their parts from Paul Rudd, Romany Malco and Seth Rogen to Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Gerry Bednob, Kat Dennings, Jordy Masterson and Chelsea Smith.

“Do you like to... do it yourself?”

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Other reviews of The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005): Groucho