Thursday, August 03, 2006
DVD Review: The 40 Year-Old Virgin (R2)
I think, to a degree, we all know someone who’s an Andy. That guy – or gal – who seems terminally square, who never fails to say hi to everyone in the workplace but is never, ever seen at social functions, who is always the subject at said work-related social functions of several conversations questioning either his or her sexual experience or orientation. They’re never mean-spirited but more a result of amazement coming from – I don’t want to say us “normal” people – but us who have enjoyed many sexual experiences in our lives. It's because of this real-life occurrence – and the fact that we were all there at some point, regardless of age – that Judd Apatow’s The 40 Year-Old Virgin works so beautifully.
The Flick
Andy (the absolutely brilliant Steve Carell) is the forty year-old virgin of the title. His life is built around routine, he lives on his own surrounded by a cavalcade of Playstation games and action figures, and his idea of a great weekend is making an egg salad sandwich. Working at an electronics retailer with a team of off-beat weirdos, it’s not until Andy finally attends a social gathering – in this case an after-hours poker game – that his three “friends” – Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and Romany Malco – discover that he really has never done the horizontal mambo, and set out on a quest to make sure that Andy gets well and truly laid. However, Andy doesn’t count on meeting Trish, a single-mother who he doesn’t see as a simple lay, but perhaps a vision of his future.
Being perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this movie. Having several people from the fantastic Anchorman involved, I didn’t know if it would be an out-and-out wacko comedy like that, or something more approaching American Pie (which I cannot stand). Thankfully, this flick is nothing like American Pie. What makes The 40 Year-Old Virgin so great is that – while being full of wonderful moments of comedy – it never treats the title character with anything but compassion. You’re rooting for Andy the minute you find out about his “problem,” and the film is constructed so well that you never stop until he gets to the inevitable climax – pun very much intended.
Obviously, the film is all about growth. I don’t see it as being a big “oh, don’t have toys and don’t be a nerd” deal, but rather a tale of growth and obtaining balance. There’s one moment that really sums this up, where Andy is about to do the deed with Trish, and is still nervous as hell. Previous to this, he’s been getting ready to sell his toy collection on eBay, in view to opening his own store with the proceeds. So nervous, he lashes out at Trish for making her sell his toys and change his life, and it’s a defining moment, cause we feel sorry for him because as the audience we know his predicament but it’s also the one time we also see him as a dick. He’s scared, and he makes a brilliant metaphorical comment about the box of the toy having to be pristine, and if it gets blemished, the toy inside is spoilt.
We all know what this is like. Change scares Andy because he’s human, and like Garth once said, we fear change, especially when it’s as big a lifechange as what Andy is going through. And when we’re scared, we get stupid and angry and we lash out. It’s such an honest moment, and really, it’s moments like that scene that really make this film. Sure, it’s a comedy through and through, but it’s not a comedy for the sake of being a comedy, if that makes sense. This movie has an abundance of heart and something real to say, and in a time where Cheaper By The Dozen Part 14 rules the box office, that’s really rare.
But yes, this is a comedy, and while not wanting to sound like your average pull-quoting critic, it’s outrageously funny. It’s observational comedy, and everything is rooted in the things that we all go through as a growing person, and because of that, we’re not only laughing but also cringing, mainly because we feel sorry for Andy but also because we know what this is like. From picking up an incredibly drunk chick and ending up with vomit on the face to being caught with a box o’ porn, we know what this is all like. And it just makes it that little bit funnier.
But what really makes the film are the performances. Steve Carell has always been brilliant – his role as Brick in Anchorman is one of the most consistently funny things about that movie – but here he shows his quality not only as a comedic actor but as a dramatic actor. Catherine Keener as Trish is the one real anchor in the film, and she’s brilliant. Very sexy, and genuinely nice, and you can see that she’s a great match for Andy.
And of course, there are the guys who surround Andy. Paul Rudd has always been a favourite, and he’s hysterical here, as well as a little bit sad. Romany Malco is someone I’d never heard of before this flick, but he’s brilliant here, giving new life and dimension to the streetwise homie/playa stereotype. But really standing out is Seth Rogan, who seems to play the only truly normal person in the film. I wasn’t overly familiar with him before, but he nails this role so well, it’s only a matter of time before he really starts to break out.
Special mention must go to Best In Show’s Jane Lynch, whose subtle off-kilter manager is hilarious, and also very, very unsettling. Especially in the ‘fuck buddy’ scene. I also have to give props to the hysterically named Gerry Bednob, whose work as Mooj assures me that I’ll never think of the words “Cincinnati” and “bowtie” the same way ever again.
And the ending... it's just spectacular. I've never been able to watch Bollywood movies, but this gives me hope I might one day enjoy them.
Audio/Visual
The usual anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 Dolby Digital. Looks fine and sounds great, but you’re never going to get a demo disc from a flick like this, nor should you.
Extras
Disappointing. I would’ve liked a commentary and maybe some docu footage as with the American release (this is the R2 edition), but all you get are a bunch of deleted scenes with commentary from Seth Rogan and director Judd Apatow. They’re all hilarious as expected, with a particular favourite being an extension of the “You know how I know you’re gay?” scene, but I would’ve liked a little more meat, although it’s nice to see some HULK love. I guess we UK folk miss out yet again.
It’s also worth noting that this is an “unrated” edition with seventeen extra minutes, although since this is the first time I’ve seen the movie, I have no idea what the extra material is.
Final Thoughts
A truly honest and sweet flick that is full of hilarity, movies like The 40 Year-Old Virgin are hard to come by, so this should be at the top of your purchase list. Just don’t wait until you’re forty to see it.
Movie: 9/10
Disc: 7/10
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Great read, man!