I should preface this review by saying that I really really wanted to hate this movie. It had all the makings of a potential Hollywood raunch-fest, with a one-joke script. Originally I was not going to see it. The things I was hearing were mixed, and while I like Steve Carell, I was not sure he could pull off a leading role. Ultimately what sold me on it was Catherine Keener, and deciding against what I felt was my better judgment, I went to a matinée.
I was delightfully surprised by this film.
As I am sure you are aware, the basic premise is that Steve Carell plays a virgin at forty years old. He lives alone, collects action figures, plays video games and lives a very quiet life. One night, when his coworkers invite him to a poker game it comes out that he is still a virgin. His new-found friends make it their personal mission to get him laid. They hook him up with one disaster after another until he starts seeing Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mother of three.
There are quite a few laughs to be had in this movie, and Carell does a great job playing up the embarrassingly awkward moments to their comedic limit without going beyond. In addition, the romantic story between Andy (Carell) and Trish is actually very sweet and well done.
There is a brain behind this comedy as well, all of Andy’s friends have serious problems in their own love lives, although they seem to think they pale in comparison to his inexperience. David (Paul Rudd) is obsessed over a girl he dated two years ago, Jay (Romany Malco) cheats regularly on his girlfriend and Cal (Seth Rogan), well, he’s Cal. Over the course of the movie the other guys begin to realize that Andy’s approach may be right, and they begin to respect the “no-sex” rule of Andy and Trish’s relationship.
As much as I wanted to hate this movie, as much as I tried, I found that I really liked it. In fact, I loved it.
Is there a lot of Hollywood in it? Yes, of course, but the story is so endearing and the cast is so funny together that you cannot help enjoying this movie. It will make you laugh and make you feel a little bit better for having seen it. Take some time and go see The Forty-Year-Old Virgin, hell, take a date!
Seen the movie? Agree/Disagree? Think I am full of it? Leave a comment!