The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Andy Stitzer	Steve Carell
Trish Piedmont	Catherine Keener
David	Paul Rudd
Jay	Romany Malco
Cal	Seth Rogen	½
Paula	Jane Lynch
Beth	Elizabeth Banks
Nicky	Leslie Mann
Marla Piedmont	Kat Dennings
eBay Customer	Jonah Hill
Priest	Loudon Wainwright

Review

Much like Knocked-Up, the film Judd Apatow and company made after this one, The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a comedy about genre-typical subjects, centered around sex and love, written and presented a little more intelligently than what we've been accustomed to in this genre. Apatow's characters are simple-minded and goofy, but they have an everyman naturalness and warmth which makes them feel close and authentic, as if they were your next-door neighbours or your unassuming pals - despite their obvious weirdness which of course is the basic for the comedic effect. Add to that Apatow's often ingenious perspective on universal matters, and you have a formula which works - and will work again. Steve Carell is one of the key factors; his irresistibly likeable persona is perfect for the part. He makes you root for him like you've never rooted for a desperate virgin before.