A bit too long, perhaps, but otherwise charming and funny

Rating: 8/10 (21 December 2006)

Following a couple of supporting roles in Bruce Almighty and Anchorman (not to mention a regular presence on Saturday Night Live), Steve Carell rose to fame playing the lead in The 40 Year Old Virgin. The title might make some believe the movie's gonna be two hours of puerile jokes, but that's far from true: it's actually a really smart and interesting comedy, as well as a showcase of Carell's star power.
His character, Andy Stitzer, leads a pretty dull life: he collects action figures, goes everywhere by bike and has no social life (except for a neighbor with whom he watches Survivor). Then one night he's asked to join his colleagues from the hi-fi store for a poker game. Once the guys start talking about their sex lives, it turns out Andy's a virgin (who else would say a woman's breasts "feel like a bag full of sand" ?). Since that's a quite embarrassing condition for a 40-year old, his "pals" see it as their duty to make sure Andy finally sleeps with someone. Hence a series of increasingly awkward situations involving drunk teenagers, speed dating and male prostitutes (you know, just in case our man doesn't like the ladies). In the meantime, Andy has managed to find the woman of his dreams: Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mother who sells things on e-bay. There's an obvious spark between them, with only one blatant problem: how long before Andy will have to tell her the inconvenient truth?
The charm of this film lies in the direction the story takes once the premise is set: what started as a mere search for sex turns into a quest for true love, as the protagonist struggles to get to the end of the story without jeopardizing his relationship with Trish (the chemistry between the two characters is truly moving). Instead of another gross-out comedy, director Judd Apatow (who also co-wrote the script with his leading man) has delivered something a little more profound, with the occasional bits of mandatory slapstick (Andy getting his chest waxed... ouch!). The only real criticism I can raise about The 40 Year Old Virgin concerns its excessive running time: being almost two hours long, it seems like some set-pieces were added just to keep the movie going before it reaches its predictable yet enjoyable conclusion. It is, however, worth watching, both for its absurd but believable concept and the hilarious Carell, who proves to be a genuinely funny guy, with hints of an ability to tackle more mature roles as well (as he did superbly in the splendid Little Miss Sunshine). This film deserves all the praise it has received for putting such a talented comedian on the map.
7,5/10