‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ Turns 20: Why We Still Love This Comedy Classic

We just passed the 20 year anniversary of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Judd Apatow and Steve Carell’s spectacularly hilarious and occasionally irreverent rom-com. You might remember the movie took viewers by storm, offering some of the funniest moments we’ve seen in modern cinematic history. Written by Apatow and Carell, the movie followed Andy, who was – just like the title – a 40-year-old virgin. His newfound friends try to remedy that issue and unsurprisingly, crazy antics ensue.

The Cast of The 40-Year-Old Virgin

A great cast definitely can propel a movie forward – and The 40-Year-Old Virgin is no exception. The movie starred Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Jane Lynch, and Romany Malco. The cast worked amazingly well together and later it was revealed a lot of of the lines and scenes were improvised. In fact, the whole waxing scene with Andy was ad-libbed.

Andy, Cal, Dave, and Jay all work together at SmarTech, an electronics store. When somebody can’t make it to their weekly poker game, Cal invites Andy to hang out with them. Soon the guys learn that Andy has never been with a woman (thanks to the “bag of sand” remark) and they set their sights on trying to embark on what they perceive as a “mission.”

It’s also discovered that Andy, who was generally a loner, had given up on the idea of ever meeting a woman. He claimed to have “struck out” many times and decided to focus on his job and his large collection of action figures, game, and movie memorabilia. When the guys visit his apartment, they’re stunned to learn that he sits on literally tens of thousands of dollars of collectibles.

The Humorous Plot That Actually is Touching

There are several ways in which this movie’s plot could have been angled. It would have been easy to treat the premise as juvenile and stick with it as a running joke. In other words, make fun of and belittle the character in question – have it a constant punchline that Andy was still a virgin. But instead Apatow and those involved in the production decided it was time to treat the subject matter more maturely. (Well, somewhat.)

By exploring topics like love, romance, and casual dating, the movie amusingly meanders through comical and awkward situations. Cal and Dave’s bantering is especially entertaining as the two characters’ personalities, though often opposed, blend perfectly in the scenes they share. Jay, a self-described “ladies’ man,” attempts to teach Andy about the intricacies of manscaping, which leads to one of the funniest scenes in the movie.

Fun and Sex vs. Love and Companionship

Our group of coworkers try to induct Andy to the dating scene with limited success. Elizabeth Banks, (Effie from The Hunger Games), plays Beth, Andy’s casual interest. Hysterically, Andy and Beth navigate a scene where they have a date and it’s a true testament to Carell and Banks’ extraordinary talent that they don’t crack each other up.

Jane Lynch plays Paula, the SmarTech manager. She has some of the absolute best lines in the movie. We’ll just leave it that Lynch is a complete scene stealer in whatever she’s in. Guess you have to ‘Ya Mo Be There’ for some of it!

Another memorable scene is where Andy meets Nicky (Leslie Mann and Apatow’s wife IRL) at a party. Nicky gets too hammered to drive, so Andy volunteers to drive her home. Needless to say, the car ride home is an adventure and a half.

Finally, Trish, played by Catherine Keener, enters the fray. She runs a shop located across from the electronic store. Even more coincidentally, Andy‘s collectibles are a point of conversation. As the two discuss his immense collection of memorabilia and action figures, they bond. In a cinematically “sly” way, this becomes a rite of passage for Andy.

Andy and Trish – Sitting on a Bike

Yes, Andy’s main method of transport is a bicycle. Part of what’s endearing about his character is that he has many boy-like charms. Trish, who obviously has some emotional baggage from being in bad relationships before, is drawn to Andy because he’s such a kindhearted person.

The two take their time to get to know each other. With Trish’s down-to-earth approach, her wisdom and patience countering Andy‘s inexperience, the two build a solid foundation – before anything more happens. As much as there are silly (and memorable) gags in this flick, the heart of the story is centered around friendship, love, and understanding.

Why The 40-Year-Old Virgin Still is Relevant Today

Aside from all the dirty humor, bad jokes, and witty puns, the movie examines a situation to which many of us can relate. It doesn’t have to be someone’s virginity; it can be about a personal challenge, or someone’s fear or anxiety about doing something. In this case it’s about sex. (Hey – sex sells.) But the 40-Year-Old Virgin is about so much more.

Although political correctness and creative constraints now often influence production, this movie still captivates and entertains audiences. It seems as though today’s movies just aren’t as humorous. With Carell, Rogen, and Rudd regularly leading the movie’s comedic charge, multiple belly laughs are warranted by every scene they share.

Comedic Legacy and The Rom-Com

The movies that seem to do well today are epic action motion pictures, sci-fi dystopian films, and war movies. We’ve not had many large production rom-coms in the past decade. Lighthearted movies, with a few hilarious moments (and those which actually might contain a few of life‘s lessons) are sorely missed. That seems like it would be the perfect remedy in today’s film landscape.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin delighted viewers with not just its raunchiness, but its heart. Although each of the characters was flawed in their own comical way, they managed to have (well, some) endearing qualities. Films like this don’t come around too often. So anyone who passes quick judgment or dismisses this as a juvenile attempt at crass humor hasn’t been paying close attention. We need films like this to laugh, bolster our confidence, and to become more tolerant. And who knows? You might learn a few things from a virgin.