The 40 Year-Old Virgin

After 39 years, 11 months, 30 days and 24 hours of not inserting his genitals into anyone else’s genitals, Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) decides, with the help of his meddling work buddies (Paul Rudd, Romany Malco and soon-to-be-a-star Seth Rogen) that he should begin sending the bishop into the jungle. Thus, he commences a makeover, lifestyle adjustment and all-around reworking of himself, including putting away his Mego figurines and hanging up his Aquaman phone for good. Luckily, before he can erase all vestiges of his charming nerdosity, he meets up with Trish (Catherine Keener), who is pretty, middle-aged and so perfect for Andy that she actually makes a living selling collectables on eBay. This may sound like a lame re-make of Porky’s for the mid-life crowd, but it’s actually an awesome remake of Porky’s for the mid-life crowd. Carell is indescribably great in the lead, delivering lines with the horrifying trepidation and stiltedness of someone who has gone two-fifths of a century without ever parting the temple curtains. And the set design, littered with things like Asia posters and Warhammer figurines, is sad and loving and cringe-worthy. Plus, 40 Year-Old Virgin manages to warm the heart without drowning you in schmaltz. In short, a triumphant celebration of dorkiness, directed by Judd Apatow, the man who brought you Freaks and Geeks.