40 Year Old Virgin

I think this film is hilarious!! its just so funny i just laugh all the way through it!!!! it you want a film to make you giggle you need to get this!!!!

The 40 Year-Old Virgin - XXL Version

Discs: 1

Distributor: Universal

Certificate: 15 (Contains strong language and coarse sex references)

Year: 2005

Running Time: 127 mins

Directed by: Judd Apatow

Written by: Judd Apatow & Steve Carell

Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, Romany Malco

The Film:

'The 40 Year-Old Virgin' is a film you've probably heard a lot about. It was a surprise box-office hit, made a name out of several of the people involved (namely Steve Carell, Seth Rogan and Judd Apatow), and has proved to be one of few recent 'romantic' comedies to have been a hit with nearly everyone. However, I personally find it hard to understand why it has proved to have been such a hit. It's not that it's a bad film, it's just distinctly under whelming.

The intensely complex plot follows Andy Stitzer (Carell), a somewhat reclusive nerd who's (wait for it) a virgin. A virgin who's forty years old. His fellow workmates Cal (Rogan), David (Rudd) and Jay (Malco), are determined to deflower him not themselves, the film doesn't quite plumb to those depths (though I think that could have been pretty interesting - imagine how many viewers would be alienated by that), but by trying to set him up with members of the opposite sex. He eventually meets Trish (Keener), a sweet single mother, who he inevitably hits off with.

It's not that this film isn't necessarily funny - it quite often is, with many of the sexually explicit conversation between the friends proving to be the highlights (not to mention being very realistic - it's the kind of stuff I'd talk about with my friends). But it's also very often predictable. Yes, he gets set up with a transsexual. Yes, he doesn't know how to put a condom on. It often feels like it's trying to hard to be edgy and vulgar. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no prude, I love edgy humour, but it just feels like it's trying to hard, even though I never at any point thought 'Wow, I can't believe they said that'. The film is also far too overlong (seriously, over two hours for a comedy - rarely ever works), and ends with a truly embarrassing song and dance number (the only film I can recall that has a random musical interlude that works is 'Clerks II').

Obviously, it does have it's redeeming factors. The performances are good all around, and manage to breathe life into some actually fairly stale characters. Rogan in particular impresses, with his direct stoner shtick. I still don't think Carell is quite as funny as everyone says though, but he's not bad, and proves particularly funny in the waxing sequence. Where the film does succeed is in it's undeniable heart. Sure, jokes are made about him, but our protagonist is never objectified for being a virgin, and the film ultimately lays out that you should wait for the right person - an idea I've always believed in. The film is a little bit racist, homophobic and sexist (not in mean-spirited way, just a little bit insensitive I guess), but it's heart is in the right place. Whilst that can be said about nearly every gross-out comedy released these days, in this case it's particularly relevant, and that's where it succeeds.

I want to like this film, I really do, but it's just not all that funny. I don't recall any moments that had me laughing out very loud, just the odd mild smirk or giggle now and again. And with it's ridiculous length combined with its pace, it is ultimately quite numbing. Not a bad film, then, just not a good one either. Worth a watch or two, but not one to be coming back to frequently. However, all this said, I agree with the film's message, and look forward to what the same team can come up with - I'm particularly excited for 'Knocked Up' right now. I guess it wouldn't be spoiling too much to presume that it starts where this one ends - sex.

Special Features:

The special features aren't particularly great, amounting to nothing much more than a bunch of alternate scenes and the like. However, it has to be said that the majority are actually funnier than anything in the actual film.

Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes With Optional Commentary By Director/Co-Writer Judd Apatow And Actor/Co-Producer Seth Rogan

You get a whole bunch of these, some being easy to see why they were deleted, others not so much. They're definitely a lot more risqu , and very long, especially the extended 'You Know How I Know You're Gay?' scene. You also get 'Andy's Fantasies' (featuring full-frontal nudity from porn star Stormy - would be a good thing if she wasn't disgusting), 'Cal And Paula', 'Advice From Mooj', 'Date-A-Palooza', and a separate reel of shorter deleted scenes. All of these come with the optional commentary, which are both funny and informative.

Easter Egg

Put this disc in your PC and highlight Steve Carell's lower torso on the the first page of special features for another deleted scene called 'Whack It'. Take a guess what it's about. It's not particularly funny, and thusly not really worth the effort, but still It also comes with an optional commentary from Apatow and Rogan. Same as above really.

Waxing Doc

A very in-depth documentary about the waxing scene. Okay, not really very in-depth, and barely a documentary, but still (I like saying that) It's pretty redundant, but kinda funny all the same, with Carell's fantastic improvised swear words proving pretty funny.

Line-O-Rama

A short montage of improvised lines on set, most of which are pretty funny. It seems the improv is funnier than most of what's actually written for the most part.

My Dinner With Stormy

Another 'documentary', this time being a completely fake one where Rogan meets up with Stormy It's really quite bizarre, and you have to wonder if Rogan really 'got' what he 'gets' in the doc

Gag Reel

Like Ronsill Does what it says on the tin. A selection of outtakes, mostly funny. A particular favourite of mine is Rudd saying 'You know how I know you're gay? My d*** is gay '. Hilariously bizarre.

Trailers

Nope, not trailers for the actual film, but two trailers for other Universal releases, namely 'The Skeleton Key' and 'Serenity'. The former looks awful, something I'll be definitely avoiding, whilst 'Serenity' is a pretty fun, albeit overrated, sci-fi fest.

Overall:

'The 40 Year-Old Virgin' is certainly not a bad film, and definitely has it's heart in the right place. That's the problem, though - It's promising, and has a good concept, but fails to be particularly funny, and is ultimately quite dull. The same can be said for the special features really - They're all rather redundant, though some are funnier than anything in the actual film.

Film: 3/5

Special Features: 2/5

Overall: 3/5

40 Year Old Virgin is a great film. I bought it for myself and my partner to watch, as we fancied watching something funny and we had seen it advertised.

It was a really funny film, and it really makes you laugh at all the things his work mates try to do to help him to get laid!! Brilliant!!!

I thought that 40 Year Old Virgin was hilarious. Although, there were some very cringing moments, it was funny at the same time. I loved the fact that it was a romantic comedy, even though at first you didn't know. I recommend it to everyone.