Like a Virgin...

Rating: 9/10 (30 November 2005)

Whether you are male or female, democrat or republican, black or white, gay or straight, bi or thai, there is one thing I'm sure we can all agree on: THIS YEAR'S SUMMER MOVIES HAVE TOTALLY BLOWN!!! Enter The 40 Year Old Virgin, which may rob the title I bestowed upon There's Something About Mary as the smartest, funniest, and sweetest summer gross-out comedy ever.
Granted the plot of Virgin is entirely predictable. By watching the trailer or merely hearing the title of the film, it's easy to figure out that Steve Carrell's character has gone without carnal knowledge for 40 years and his buddies will try to get him laid. In the process, Carrell will find true love...and eventually be deflowered.
What makes this movie so enjoyable then? I'd say it's the following three things...
1) The comedic timing of the entire cast. Everyone is dead on in their delivery of one-liners. And, like my beloved Something About Mary, the best lines come out so effortlessly and spontaneously it seems like half the movie was improvised. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if much of the movie was improvised. The producers said that they really waxed Carrell's chest in the scene that's in all the commercials and trailers (which is by the way one of the funniest film moments I've ever seen...if you can call squinting through tears of laughter seeing).
2) The men. Hearing four guys talk about sex for an hour and a half is great, especially when it's discussed in such a gross, vulgar, disgusting, and sadly real way as in this film. In short, Carrell and his friends are a male version of the "Sex and the City" ladies where the three friends are all Samanthas with the raunchiness taken to an extreme and Carrell's the only Charlotte.
3) Carrell. His innocence and charm makes you want to root for him and laugh at him all at the same time. A scene in which Carrell tries to put on a condom, somehow gets his testicles in it, and snaps it is a prime example. You laugh at him, but you feel sorry for him at the same time. Very few actors can pull off a character like this as well as he does.
So if you're sick of crap like The Island or Madagascar, go see this film. I swear it'll be considered one of the best comedies of the past 10 years. Who knows...seeing it may make you feel like a virgin, touched for the very first time...