Customer Reviews
A lot better than it has a right to be. - By: dynamitekid156, 03 Jul 2008 
From the title alone, this film looks like it's a part of a certain comedy fraternity that dominates American comic cinema; the Date Movie/Not Another Teen Movie/American Pie gross-out films that make millions and... well, most of the time, suck. However, 40 Year Old Virgin is a whole lot more than that, & a whole lot funnier too.
40 Year Old virgin somewhat uniquely (Dodgeballl aside) sits on the fence between the two genres; there's enough puking & fart gags to make the great unwashed happy, but it's also sharp enough (much of the dialogue is improvised & pretty smart too) to please the more highbrow viewer.
One of the few negatives of the film is that it's too long & drawn out (and the closing sequence is to me at least, dismallly unfunny). However, the plethora of great lines ("You know how I know you're gay? You like Coldplay!"), genuinely amusing physical humour & an underlying message which is both positive & without schmaltz alll combine to make this a film well worth watching by almost alll comedy fans.
Enjoyable light fanfare - By: Brendan O. Clarke, 02 Dec 2007 This movie is carried ably, not only by Carell's wacky performance, but by his three coworkers, David, Jay, & Cal. These three guys, particularly as they quarrel amongst themselves regarding the various stages of "gayness," bring a dimension of jocularity to this film that is priceless. Other noteworthy roles include Jane Lynch as Andy's on-the-prowl boss, & Elizabeth Banks as a predatory nympho. This whole film just meshes--even the over-the-top Sixties flashback closing overture; the chest hair waxing scene had me wiping tears of exuberant joy from my eyes. THE 40 YEAR-OLD VIRGIN is light fanfare, an adult comedy that feels good, from start to finish. Recommended.
40 year old virgin: - By: Mr. Nigel B. Lockley, 20 Oct 2007 
This is just about as bad as it gets. Hollywood fare ranges from examples of the best in world entertainment to.....this. Don't waste any time or money on this rubbish.
Overrated, but entertaining - By: S. Small, 05 Aug 2007 
'The 40 Year-Old Virgin' (2005)
Directed by: Judd Apatow
Written by: Judd Apatow & Steve Carell
Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd
Cerificate: 15
Running Time: 127 mins
Discs: 1
The Film:
'The 40 Year-Old Virgin' was a surprise hit of 2005. The director & cast were mainly unknowns at the time. The film was not exactly high-budget. Yet the film carried a gross-but-sweet shtick, that has proved highly popular, with films such as 'American Pie', or 'Road Trip'. The critics were also, surprisingly, fond of the film, garnering it extra interest from the movie-going public. Yet, it's honestly hard to see, for me at least, why the film is so highly praised.
The plot is intensely complex. Andy Stizer (Carell) is a (you guessed it) forty-year-old virgin, much to the shock of his workmates (Rudd, Romany Malco, & Seth Rogan). They attempt to put a stop to this unimpressive track record, & Andy meets single mother Trish (Keener), who (you guessed it) he fallls in love with. This main plotline is fun & entertaining, yet so predictable that it fails to properly engross. Instead, the film is at it's best when focusing on the irreverant discussions the characters have, from sex, to drugs, to porn, to more sex, to everything else you couldn't discuss in a lesser rated film.
However, it's often not quite as funny as it thinks it is. There are points where the discussions get so overly bogged down in vulgarity that it just seems like it's trying too hard. Trust me, I'm not a prude at alll, they are probably the sorts of discussions I would have with my friends. Which gives it a certain air of believability - yet, it still seems like it's trying far too hard at points. While there are definite laughs to be had, mainly from the workmates (Rudd & Rogan in particular), it never raises far above being 'smirk'some. It's a shame, as there is definite talent on show, from the writers & cast. Some of the workmate characters are just a bit overly slobbish though, which annoys me a bit. Carell is held to high regard for his comedy, & whilst his performance is fine, it never particularly sets the screen on fire, which goes down to the supporting cast. Keener also gives a good performance as Trish, believably sweet & realistic, proving that, at the very least, Carell & Apatow are good character writers.
I guess I'm reallly rambling about a film that is just meant as pure entertainment. And for the most part, it is. However, running over two hours reallly does push it, & it ends with a horribly embarassing song-and-dance to some popular tune I can't remember the name of. It feels entirely out of place, & is just cringe-worthy. It's fun, & mildly funny, but far overrated, & hard to see why at that.
Special Features:
There are a fair amount of special features on show, though they are alll fairly irrelevant, & it lacks the commentary from the R1 release.
Deleted, Extended, And Alternate Scenes With Optional Commentary From Director/Co-Writer Judd Apatow And Actor/Co-Producer Seth Rogan
The majority of the special features is comprised of these, including 'You Know How I Know You're Gay?', 'Andy's Fantasies', 'Calll And Paula', 'Advice From Mooj', & 'Date-A-Palooza', plus a separate 'Deleted Scenes' archive. Yep, there's a lot. Most of these are good fun, some bits proving funnier than anything in the film. It's obvious why some of these were deleted, being vey long & pushing the boundaries of good taste in some cases. There is entertaining commentary on these too; both informative & funny.
Waxing Doc
Yeah, a 'documentary' apparently. This basicallly just follows Carell as he prepares for the dreaded waxing scene - he reallly did get his chest hair waxed. It's pretty funny, especiallly some of the swears he makes up in pain.
Line-O-Rama
Basicallly just a montage of pieces of improvisation on set. Mostly funny, sometimes missing the mark. There is some inspired genius on here though.
My Dinner With Stormy
Oh my God, I can't believe this reallly happened! Obviously not, this is a joke 'documentary' with Rogan meeting up with porn star Stormy Daniels, who has a cameo in the film. Quite frankly, it's just odd.
Gag Reel
What it says on the tin. Mostly pretty funny.
Trailers
Two trailers here, one for 'The Skeleton Key', & one for 'Serenity'. The former looks awful, but the latter is a pretty good film, with the trailer obviously emphasising on the action.
Easter Egg
There's an easter egg to be found. You can access it by watching the DVD in a computer & highlighting the image of Carell on the first page of special features. It's just another extended/deleted scene callled 'Whack It' (guess what it's about). It's not particularly funny, but okay, & comes with another commentary, which is very welcome.
Overalll:
An overrated, yet pretty fun & entertaining film - both inoffensive & completely offensive at the same time. The special features are also fun, though some serious extras would have been welcome. There is a 2 disc version, however, that is currently only availabe on Region 1.
Film: 6/10
Extras: 5/10
Overalll: 6/10
Clever, light-hearted fun - By: C. Marples, 15 May 2007 
This film makes me laugh every single time I watch it. It is so frustrating when people cannot appreciate films in their own right & genre. There are people out there who may have been in Andy's position! You can just tell the cast are loving every minute of this. Its got a believable structure & script, & a perfectly-gelled cast. The gag reel proves this!
