Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with another test screening review for THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. The word across the board on this flick is great. Being that comedy relies on timing to work, it's pretty incredible that even at the early stages of this film we've been getting raves. The below review adds another positive onto the pile without giving away any major scenes, sequences or gags! Enjoy!
Dr. No here, signing in with a new review, this time with a comedy that hasn't been getting as much press as I hoped. It's Steve Carell's The 40 Year Old Virgin. In a time when comedies tend to go the PG-13 route, I wish that there was still some with the balls to be a new Stripes or Animal House. A hard R rating that you rarely get to see anymore. Alot of people (reviewers and mongols alike) keep on speaking about The Wedding Crashers as the R rated comedy of the year, but if the former Daily Show alum and 'funniest man alive' has to say anything about it, this virgin will rule supreme.
I don't want to give away too many plot points (be it relationship wise or everything we've seen in the trailers so far) so I'll give you the bits I liked and what little bit I didn't like.
The ensemble cast. Funny and vulgar in every way possible. Who do we have? The three friends (who at first, as the character played by Seth Rogen states, "I think he's a serial killer") try to get him lucky but learn the error of their ways. Paul Rudd as David was the funny 'straight' man, even though he has some funny breaking down moments concerning a girlfriend he's been broken up about for the past 2 and a half years. The subtle ways he keeps bringing her up in conversation and Steve's responses are hysterical. Seth Rogen as Cal, the tattooed friend, who feels guilty about seeing a horse and a girl fuck down in Tijuana, looks kind of like a buffed out Dustin Diamond. A funny guy who I didn't even realize was the 'eager cameraman' from Anchorman. Romany Malco as Jay, the token black guy, is actually the one that stole the show from the 3 guys. He's the one who cheats on his girlfriend and tries to show how he's a playa, even though he's a very broken man inside. In one scene he finally breaks down and cries like a little baby.
The word pussy. Makes a starring role throughout the film. If people are offended by foul language in general, then this is not the film to see. It's used in a way that people actually speak. A curse here, a few more curses there, but nothing that you wouldn't even hear your mother say to your father.
Catherine Keener as Trish, the love interest of the movie. She was quite enjoyable as the owner of a store which sold things on Ebay for people. As Andy says to her, "So why do you have a store then?" and she responds, "I think people would think I was some creep who was trying to steal their shit, now wouldn't they?" She also has a great bit when she thinks a telemarketer calls her up. Something everybody wishes they could say but just never thought you could.
Steve Carell himself as Andy Stitzer. I'm glad to say that he can carry a film on his own. He has something Will Ferrel doesn't have. And that's a cute sensitive charm that is missing from the hulking vein eyed Ferrel. Don't get me wrong... I'm a fan of Ferrel's work, but Steve Carell is earning that praise as the funniest man in the world right now. As the 40 year old virgin, he has this cute innocence as he tries to hide the fact that he's a virgin at first. At a poker game with the guys, they are all speaking about times they've had dirty disgusting sex. And Steve compares touching a breast to grabbing a bag of sound and saying the girl spoke dirty to him along the lines of "Me so horny, me love you long time!" Of course everyone mocks him and it wouldn't be a comedy about a 40 year old virgin if it wasn't a bombardment of boner sight gags, sexual innuendos galore and jokes about condom usage.
Two scenes in particular, one of which is the finale I saw (which for some reason I can see changing). Let's just say it's a little rendition of Age of Aquarius. That's all I'll say. The other scene looks to be an unscripted scene in which the guys convince Andy to get his chest waxed because that's what the ladies want. It won't hurt a bit. So as he prepares, he looks calm. When the hair is ripped off, all you hear are vulgarities I haven't heard since eating at Denny's. As he screams them out, the lady who's doing the waxing is trying not to laugh, as are the three other guys. It's a funny scene that comes across as something that Steve had a ball with.
Now to something I didn't like. Alot of people have stated it before, and I agree with them when it comes to this movie. It is a bit too long. Two hours time for a comedy, while not unbelievable, doesn't necessarily work with this one. The crowd was busting a gut 90 percent of the time, so to cut out a good 10 - 15 minutes isn't unheard of. A few sight gags that failed and some jokes that might've went too long will be easy to get this one under an hour and 45 minutes.
In a year that has made me happy to be a film goer again (yet the box office is down... what the fuck?) this film will make audiences bust a gut. Or hopefully a nut when it comes out this August. Let's just hope they tweak the little things to make this thing a classic. Steve Carell is a comedic superstar and shines throughout this film. I'll give it my seal of approval, but hell, what does that mean? Just see it for yourself.
This is Dr. No Is a Yes, signing off for the night. Tomorrow I'll have a review for Skeleton Key with Kate Hudson. Hopefully that won't make me laugh as hard.
