What's the big, hairy deal?

Rating: 6/10 (26 August 2005)

Perhaps I just answered my own question? Without a doubt the waxing scene in this movie is the most memorable and sure to become a movie legend. Steve Carell's reactions aren't so much funny as cringe-inducing and everyone from the waxer to his buddies give brilliant reaction shots. Of course, the reason this works is because it was real. In fact, all of The 40 Year Old Virgin's great scenes are borne out of reality, which makes you wonder why they felt the need to go all crazy nutso and bring down the picture? For example, the movie opens with Carell's character walking through his apartment with an erection. He then tries to go to the bathroom, but has to contort himself to hit the toilet. Funny. But later in the film he sits down to go to the washroom and pees all over himself. Not funny. Why? Because he's 40 years old, for crimeny's sake. He's been doing this all his life. It's just stupid. Similarly, there is a funny scene in which he can't seem to avoid a bus with erotic images all over it. Then later in the film, he crashes through a billboard with the same image. Coincidence? Symbolism? Or just plain lame. As with Wedding Crashers, which this film will be linked forever to the summer of 2005, there is a goldmine of comedic possibilities that arise out of the great premise. Which makes it particularly galling when the filmmakers choose to go for the easy, sophomoric gag over the easy, intelligent gag. No one is going to be quoting the foul-mouthed grandmother in Wedding Crashers nor should they be quoting the foul- mouthed East Indian in 40 YOV. Sometimes having the least obvious character do the swearing turns out to be the most obvious. That said, I really enjoyed the relationship between Carrell and Catherine Keener's character. It was real, it was touching and Carell especially showed a different kind of leading man. But I keep going over how lame some of these scenes were. The condom scene? Really. A heterosexual, non-religious guy who thinks he should blow a condom up or stretch it out on his toes. It's like these jokes came from the Acme Joke factory. And the screen time used on these lameties could just as easily been used on developing character. Why is this guy a virgin? I know guys like this and this film had an opportunity to really say something about the pressures and fears these guys have, but instead it spent time (a lot of time) setting him up for a "party" with what turned out to be a transvestite. I mean, come on, stop pandering to 18-year-olds, who I'm sure are a lot smarter than this film gives them credit for.