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Review by: Jack Foley | Rating:
Two
EVERYONE remembers their first time - that coming-of-age ritual
that is never as easy as films would have you believe.
To make matters worse, everyone seems to have done it before
you, making it all the more important to lose your virginity at
the earliest opportunity.
Well, imagine having to wait until you're 40! This is the premise
behind Steve Carell's The 40-Year-Old Virgin, a crude, rude and
frequently hilarious new comedy that also has plenty of heart
besides.
Carell - best known for supporting slots in Anchorman and Bruce
Almighty, as well as the US version of The Office - plays Andy,
a shy but amiable 40-year-old with a passion for collectible action
figures and weekends spent making egg-salad sandwiches.
When his work colleagues discover that he is still a virgin they
take it upon themselves to get Andy laid - taking him to various
bars and clubs in a bid to find the easiest woman possible.
Yet Andy aspires to something far greater - a relationship -
and soon sets his sights on Catherine Keener's quirky single mother
in a bid to find true love.
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The 40-Year-Old Virgin was co-written
by Carell and first-time director, Judd Apatow, and is the sort
of comedy that revels in its raunchiness and ability to make audiences
cringe.
You'll be doubled over in stitches while clutching any chest
hair when watching Carell being body-waxed in a scene that was
played for real, while squirming with embarrassment at some of
his attempts to chat up women.
But while the dirty jokes and loose women come thick and fast
it also knows when to display some sensitivity, which helps to
keep it grounded in reality and lend it some heart.
Hence, his scenes with Keener's potential love-interest are well-played
and suitably romantic, providing audiences with a nice respite
from some of the more testosterone-fuelled banter between Andy
and his mates (including the ever-excellent Paul Rudd).
At two hours, the film is a little overlong (much like the similarly
raucous The Wedding Crashers) and not all of the jokes register
as strongly as they might.
But given Carell's endearing charm and the excellence of his
comic-timing, it's well worth picking up this particular virgin
for a little raunchy fun at the multiplex.
Trailer: Real™
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Related stories: Steve
Carell talks about that waxing scene
and the inspiration behind returning to virginity
Steve Carell talks
The Office and Ricky Gervais
Watch clips from the film
- including some naughty stuff!!!
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