wusmmik
12-28-2005, 09:35 AM
The 40-Year-Old Virgin Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, wr.by Carell and Judd Apatow, dir.Judd Apatow
Here's a film that looks like one thing and turns out to be something completely unexpected. Saying that, I hope this doesn't ruin it for anyone.
What begins as a sex comedy, all raunchy and ribald, quickly reveals itself to be far more thanks to a wonderful comedic performance from Steve Carell.
Yes, he's Andy, and his epithet is the title. However, Carell gives Andy so much life as we see how happy he is without sex. Carell plays everything understated and radiates doubt and self-loathing once his new friends (the hilarious trio of Seth Rogen, Romany Malco and the always-reliable Paul Rudd)
pierce the bubble that protects him from the world.
It's in the advice they give him and the travails he goes through, that everyone suddenly springs to life. We see the dating world open for Carell with some American Pie-style antics and then Carell and Apatow's script quickly deconstructs all of this in a brilliant turn where his confident friends develop self-doubt because of Andy's success with Catherine Keener (the thinking man's sex symbol-funny, sexy and human). So while you are laughing at the situations and the jokes (especially the chest waxing that so many people have talked about..yet still is painfully hilarious to watch)-a tender human comedy evolves right before your eyes.
While the conclusion may be a little jam packed with plot devices (granted, I watched the unrated obviously longer version than the one in theatres), I still enjoyed the chances it took especially in taking the time to show Carell and Keener's developing relationship..something that most comedies might have placed in a montage to save time. Finally, what you see here is without a doubt sitcom material, but thanks to Apatow's light direction it floats along just as well as his underrated, cancelled TV work (Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared) did..this is Carell's show, he makes everything funny, believable and gives us another "lovable loser" to cheer for in the end.
[P.S. Carell's work on "The Office" is also worth noting here. He and that brilliant cast have taken the show in a fascinating direction this year. And that's coming from a hardcore fan of the UK version. "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared" are thankfully both available on DVD following their dismally-rated runs on broadcast television.]
Here's a film that looks like one thing and turns out to be something completely unexpected. Saying that, I hope this doesn't ruin it for anyone.
What begins as a sex comedy, all raunchy and ribald, quickly reveals itself to be far more thanks to a wonderful comedic performance from Steve Carell.
Yes, he's Andy, and his epithet is the title. However, Carell gives Andy so much life as we see how happy he is without sex. Carell plays everything understated and radiates doubt and self-loathing once his new friends (the hilarious trio of Seth Rogen, Romany Malco and the always-reliable Paul Rudd)
pierce the bubble that protects him from the world.
It's in the advice they give him and the travails he goes through, that everyone suddenly springs to life. We see the dating world open for Carell with some American Pie-style antics and then Carell and Apatow's script quickly deconstructs all of this in a brilliant turn where his confident friends develop self-doubt because of Andy's success with Catherine Keener (the thinking man's sex symbol-funny, sexy and human). So while you are laughing at the situations and the jokes (especially the chest waxing that so many people have talked about..yet still is painfully hilarious to watch)-a tender human comedy evolves right before your eyes.
While the conclusion may be a little jam packed with plot devices (granted, I watched the unrated obviously longer version than the one in theatres), I still enjoyed the chances it took especially in taking the time to show Carell and Keener's developing relationship..something that most comedies might have placed in a montage to save time. Finally, what you see here is without a doubt sitcom material, but thanks to Apatow's light direction it floats along just as well as his underrated, cancelled TV work (Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared) did..this is Carell's show, he makes everything funny, believable and gives us another "lovable loser" to cheer for in the end.
[P.S. Carell's work on "The Office" is also worth noting here. He and that brilliant cast have taken the show in a fascinating direction this year. And that's coming from a hardcore fan of the UK version. "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared" are thankfully both available on DVD following their dismally-rated runs on broadcast television.]