CORPORATE LINE: 40-year-old Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell) has done quite a few things in his life. He’s got a cushy job stamping invoices at an electronics superstore, a nice apartment with a proud collection of action figures and comic books, good friends, a nice attitude. But there’s just one little thing he hasn’t quite gotten around to doing yet–something most people have done by his age. Done a lot. Andy’s never, ever, ever had sex–not even by accident. So is that such a big deal?
Well, for Andy’s buds at the store, it sure is. Although they think he’s a bit of an oddball, there’s certainly a planetful of stranger (and homelier) guys who’ve at least had one go at having a go. They consider it their duty to help Andy out of his dire situation and go to great lengths to help him. But nothing proves effective enough to lure their friend out of lifelong chastity until he meets Trish (Catherine Keener), a 40-year-old mother of three. Andy’s friends are psyched by the possibility that “it” may finally happen…until they hear that Andy and Trish have begun their relationship based on a mutual no-sex policy.
Comedy writer and producer Judd Apatow (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, TV’s Freaks and Geeks, Kicking & Screaming) makes his feature film directorial debut with The 40 Year Old Virgin, starring Steve Carrell (Anchorman, Bruce Almighty, TV’s The Daily Show) and Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich, The Interpreter) and an ensemble cast including Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Gerry Bednob, Shelley Malil, Chelsea Smith and Nancy Walls. Apatow also co-writes the script with Carrell and produces along with Shauna Robertson (Elf) and Clayton Townsend (The Skeleton Key).
THE REVIEW: Steve Carrell is brilliant as Andy the 40-year-old virgin. Carrell hits the loser nail right on the head. He hits it out of the park. He grabs, okay that’s enough metaphors. Why does Carrell nail it? Because he doesn’t try to be some character—it’s as though he’s playing himself as a virgin. Carrell plays a regular guy who is dying to have sex.
The lines are hilarious and never tired. It’s fun to watch Andy fake it when he talks about sex. He always seems ready to explode without being wound tight as a drum. Even the gross bits are something unique and relatively normal—in the world of geeks. Even Andy’s buddies are fun to watch as they attempt to transform him into a sex machine.
FRANKLY: Steve Carrell drives this ship. Without him in the lead The 40-Year-Old Virgin would have been as tired as the film’s name. In the end everyone, including Andy, will be satisfied.
+ Charlie Craine
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