Some guys would actually rather have an impressive toy collection than have sex.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

directed by Judd Apatow ("Freaks and Geeks")
written by Judd Apatow (Celtic Pride) and Steve Carrell ("The Dana Carvey Show")

produced by Judd Apatow (The Cable Guy) and Shauna Robertson (Elf) and Clayton Townsend (U Turn)

starring Steve Carell (Bruce Almighty), Catherine Keener (S1m0ne), Paul Rudd (The Shape of Things), Romany Malco (The Tuxedo), Seth Rogen ("Freaks and Geeks"), Elizabeth Banks (Swept Away), Leslie Mann (George of the Jungle), Jane Lynch (A Mighty Wind)

lowdown:  A 40-year-old man tries to lose his virginity. 

low expectation:   
       What do you get when you combine the teenage horndog comedy of Porky's or American Pie with the dumbass rom-com genre perfected by the Farrelly brothers?  Just another gross-out, "no he didn't!" comedy for the college kids, I bet. 
        The difference is Carrell, who could hilariously follow in the footsteps of Jim Carrey, with whom he appeared in Bruce Almighty, except that he seems far less aggressive.  Despite the expectation to carry this film, Carrell would probably be comfortable in supporting roles like his dim-wit weatherman from Anchorman. 
       Once character actors begin starring in movies and become confined to a plot and believable personality traits, they get soft.  Otherwise they go completely over the top in the cases of Carrey, Jack Black and Robin Williams.  Sure those guys can be funny, although their antics are highly overrated, but the third acts of their wacky comedies hit rock bottom because the conventional stories have to take over.  This is why the Marx Brothers were so great.  They had al confinements.  And the few times that they did, they failed.  I miss the days when character actors were more satisfied with their position as pillars supportive of monuments rather than monolithic obelisks. 

pro:  Seth Rogen, far and away the funniest actor on "Freaks and Geeks" should be given more work.
pro:  Apatow finally gets his film debut after two enjoyable television series.
pro:  Featuring no special effects, Carell actually gets his back waxed on camera, putting the former realism king, Vittorio De Sica, in his place.
con:  The script's main joke will likely not fill a whole feature any more than The Wedding Crashers' did. 

website:  The40YearOldVirgin.com

synopsis/press release:  
       40-year-old Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell) has done quite a few things in his life. He's got a cushy job stamping invoices at an electronics superstore, a nice apartment with a proud collection of action figures and comic books, good friends, a nice attitude. But there's just one little thing he hasn't quite gotten around to doing yet--something most people have done by his age. Done a lot. Andy's never, ever, ever had sex--not even by accident. So is that such a big deal?

Well, for Andy's buds at the store, it sure is. Although they think he's a bit of an oddball, there's certainly a planetful of stranger (and homelier) guys who've at least had one go at having a go. They consider it their duty to help Andy out of his dire situation and go to great lengths to help him. But nothing proves effective enough to lure their friend out of lifelong chastity until he meets Trish (Catherine Keener), a 40-year-old mother of three. Andy's friends are psyched by the possibility that "it" may finally happen...until they hear that Andy and Trish have begun their relationship based on a mutual no-sex policy.

Comedy writer and producer Judd Apatow (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, TV's Freaks and Geeks, Kicking & Screaming) makes his feature film directorial debut with The 40 Year Old Virgin, starring Steve Carrell (Anchorman, Bruce Almighty, TV's The Daily Show) and Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich, The Interpreter) and an ensemble cast including Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Gerry Bednob, Shelley Malil, Chelsea Smith and Nancy Walls. Apatow also co-writes the script with Carrell and produces along with Shauna Robertson (Elf) and Clayton Townsend (The Skeleton Key).

recommended alternative:

Expectation Key


there's no possible way I will ever see this

I might eventually see this but I'm not really expecting much

anticipating the release of this one but I'm sure to be left unsatisfied

such high expectation of this film only leaves room for disappointment