Flawless Carell!

Rating: 8/10 (22 September 2005)

This is a decent comedy picture. Steve Carell performed flawlessly, handling comedy, romance and serious acting with ease - this guy is seriously talented and he's done a fantastic job. I expected the plot to be one dimensional, focused on only getting Andy (Carell) to lose his virginity but there were some decent sub-plots and his character's journey was engaging and flush with original comedy moments.
This to me was a very different American comedy, laughing close to the bone; Andy's loneliness, self-alienation as well as some tough jokes about Al-Queda and Indian-Asians. Plently of inter-textuality; name dropping recent events, pop news and perhaps too many similies to American celebrity's meant a lot of jokes were wasted on an English audience.
A strong supporting cast did well especially Seth Rogen who is sure for bright things, he played his role quietly and had some excellent delivery. But a word on Paul Rudd who played the ex-girlfriend pining David. His story was boring and tedious, his whinging about his ex-girlfriend was empty and his performance in the film was woeful. Timing way off and improvisations weak. Inevitably the weakest parts of the film were Rudd's scenes. I felt actor Paul Rudd had requested more lines and story-emphasis such was amount of weak lines and go-nowhere dialogue he spouted.
40 year old virgin is a strong comedy, the script isn't dynamite but Steve Carell makes weak gags strong with a mockery style tone, he really did an incredible job and he's a name i want to see more of. I feel with out Carell this film wouldn't be nearly as funny, he makes laughs at minutes, turning the bad jokes upside down.
Fans of the Office and Arrested Development will particularly enjoy this film.