Virgin is Best
I was right. Steve Carell IS a very funny man and yes, The 40 Year Old Virgin IS a very funny movie. So funny in fact, I’m naming this movie one of the best sex comedies all of time. And I’ve seen my fair share.
I have no shame in admitting I’ve laughed my ass off watching the recent(ish) batch of American sex comedies - Anchorman, American Pie, Old School, etc, etc… There’s something about the 15-year old in me that still loves crass humour. But when you add a little something extra in the mix, you have a film that goes beyond those examples. That something is a realistic slice of romance and genuine moments of honesty. Not something you’d come to expect from a film that pushes the boundaries of R-rated humour.
What was refreshing about this sex comedy is that the emphasis is more on the comedy than the sex and it is very, very funny for the entire running time. No “hilarious for the first 30 minutes and then the film sucked ass” here. Close to two hours of pure post-90’s sensibility comedy gold. But it’s not for everyone. For those who like their comedies with plenty of “fuck, shit and balls” with a heavy dose of heart will put this film above all the others of its type. Those who find these types of films predictable (which it is on some levels) might want to reconsider their judgments and see it for themselves because there is more to it than just sex jokes.
The biggest surprise I found was the accurate depiction of male relationships in the film. There’s a lot of truth in the way the guys interact and talk about sex. Some of the characters are like carbon copies of people I know and that’s what makes it that much more accessible (at least from my perspective). And the romance angle works much better than I anticipated. Catherine Keener (who I’ve had a love/hate relationship with in the past) is great in this movie! But this film is Steve Carell’s baby and he finally gets the star recognition he deserves. Carell gives Andy the right mix of humanity and humour for the audience to laugh at and sympathise with. It’s a fine line and he nails it. Credit should also go to the supporting cast who never put a foot wrong and the director who competently handles the tricky balance of comedy, crassness and romance.
For a film that could have been just another average example in the genre for a multitude of reasons, The 40 year Old Virgin beats the odds and comes out on top. Fuck yes!
