The 40 Year Old Virgin

Universal Pictures presents

Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener

Directed by: John Apatow

Rating: ****

Plot: Andy is a man who likes his life simple. He rides a bike to work, at night he prepares dinner and plays video games. A collector of toys which he keeps in packages. This might sound like many people who are reading this review right now, the only thing is, he's forty years old and he's never had sex. So his friends once they find out about this try and help him out in the ways of attracting women. Sex jokes ensue.

Acting: I loved Carell's work on the Daily Show I also enjoyed his ass hole role in Bruce Almighty I really did not like him in the American version of the Office but whatever. Here he plays Andy a sweet and very innocent man. He just owns this role, maybe that is because he co-wrote the movie but still. Why this movie works is you find yourself really hoping he does find the right woman. Carell has a good way of mixing innocence with over the top comedy, which is something I don't think Will Ferrel can do. One scene which is being promoted by the studio as the it's "big scene" which I find hilarious is when Andy goes to get his chest waxed. I found out after seeing the movie that Steve Carell actually had his chest waxed and they filmed it. This made me admire the man so much more and in way like the movie more, seeing how much the actors were willing to give up to do it, namely chest hair. Paul Rudd which the ladies will remember from Clueless and the show Friends. Guys will remember him from the over the top but funny in places movie titled Anchorman which Steve Carell was in as well. He stars as one of Andy's friends who tries to help him on his quest to get laid, while he himself is trying to get over a relationship which ended two years ago. Actually Steve Carell had nothing to do with why this movie was funny, all the side characters especially the group of guys who play his friends really make this movie fun. Before I forget Catherine Keener, as always is lovely and very good, that was no surprise and she was perfect casting as the love interest.

Directing/Writing: Unlike other comedies that focus on only sex jokes or over the top comedy like Anchorman this movie has a sweet side and actually tries to let its characters grow a bit. All around I found this movie funnier and less predictable as the recent comedy smash Wedding Crashers this movie actually had a good plot. Also where Crashers failed to grab me was on the romantic and sweet side, which this film did very well. The sexual comedy is also well done and well placed, not over the top or pointless but well timed and used. My only huge problem was the length a number of times I felt as if the movie kept repeating itself in scenes and themes. The movie itself runs around over two hours which is cool, but unusual for a comedy. So towards the middle of the film the laughs die down as the audience goes through a repeat almost of scenes. The ending makes up for all of this but it is still something that really bugged me. This movie might not float with a lot of people, Crashers was fun while this movie actually deals with some things and moves more alone the lines of a romantic comedy than a balls to the walls comedy film. Either way the movie made me laugh and it was able to draw me in with it's cute use of dialogue and character development, I appriciated it too since Hollywood pushes garbage on to it's audiences over and over, it was nice to see a movie that cared to try and tell a story.

Overall: Well acted and funny, that's all you really should ask for. Sadly it was a little long in the tooth for me towards the middle and the repeating themes begins to bore you but it's fun and you'll get some good laughs. It also has one of the most random yet lovable endings I've ever seen.