The 40-Year-Old Virgin   
 

Andy: Steve Carell

Trish: Catherine Keener

David: Paul Rudd

Jay: Romany Malco

Cal: Seth Rogen

 

Directed by Judd Apatow

 

Written by Judd Apatow 

and Steve Carell

 

 

It's nice to be surprised at the movies every now and then.  Most of the time, you realize what you're up against before you even enter the theater (did I really expect Michael Bay's The Island to be anything other than a bland mishmash of cuts, special effects, and half-baked ideas).  That being said, The 40-Year-Old Virgin surprised on all accounts and delivered what it promised - plenty of laughs.

This film had an impressive pedigree coming in.  Steve Carell has nearly stolen every movie he's had a small part in so far, and his stint on The Daily Show was near legendary.  Judd Apatow cut his teeth as a writer on The Larry Sanders Show and The Ben Stiller Show before becoming a critical darling with his own shows, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared.

There was still cause for concern with a movie about an old virgin.  All that was put to rest in the first few minutes of the film as Steve Carell's performance took over.  He made Andy a normal, sweet, and inexperienced guy.  It's an excellent and fully-realized portrayal with nothing cartoonish or outlandish about his appearance or how he acted, and this served as the saving grace of the movie.

A movie that would have devolved into something corny would have fallen apart instantly, but Carell keeps it all together.  Every situation that Andy is thrown in to is played perfectly.  There's never a moment of disbelief as to how Andy reacts to something.  It's almost a surprise, based on Carell's history as the wacky side player who exists only for laughs.  And it's not farfetched to proclaim that his performance is Oscar-worthy (even though it would never happen).

As good as Carell is in this movie, it takes his supporting cast of friends to make it whole.  There are moments and characters that anyone can identify with as they look back on their own lives or those close to them.  Paul Rudd gives the best performance of the three friends as David, who is still obsessed with a 4-month relationship he had two years in the past.

Most comedies have lulls or periods where the story takes precedent over the laughs and they lose steam.  The 40-Year-Old Virgin defies these norms and never slows down.  One scene after another features comedic brilliance or realistic plot development.  The characters stay true to themselves and the film and never veer off course.  There's no villain who turns into pure evil or third act that sacrifices tone for story.

It's one of the best comedies I've seen in years and is a testament to the talent that its star and director have.