2005, USA
Comedy, Romance
You always wonder about the guy in the back of the office that keeps to himself. Is he is really a man about town, just biding time until he saves enough money for his big break? Or maybe he lives with his mother and stalks the receptionist. Or maybe -- aghast! -- he is a virgin. This is the fragile plot focus of many early 80s raunchy teen comedies...unless at the end of the movie the teenager does not achieve nirvana and twenty years later he is still in the back of the office, branded a virgin.
Writers Judd Apatow ("Freaks and Geeks," "Undeclared") and Steve Carell ("The Daily Show," the American "The Office") combine the expected low-brow hilarity with a surprising sweetness. Unlike Carell's usual presentation of uncorked kookiness and shocking arrogance, Andy -- as said virgin -- is a gentle soul with no social life. Co-workers discover his flaw and pounce, determined to loosen the boy from his tightly-wound casing. As they push him towards the easy targets of comatose drunk girls, he falls for the kind-hearted single mom (in the lovely form of Capote's Catherine Keener).
Director Apatow surrounds himself with friends from previous projects, and the chemistry is obvious. He jokes that he hopes to receive a writing award for his cast's great improv skills. Buddy Seth Rogan (of both of Apatow's popular-though-quickly-cancelled TV shows) co-produces and co-stars, providing a good trampoline for Carell to jump off of. For once Carell plays the straight man, while everyone around him digs deep for crude and bizarre banter.
Paul Rudd (Clueless, Apatow-produced Anchorman) dives further into crass wordplay with each role he takes, this being no exception. Romany Malco (Showtime's "Weeds") is ferocious as the womanizer of the group, and exchanges racial barbs against Gerry Bednob's filthy-mouthed, middle-aged Pakistani co-worker. With the exception of Keener's fun-loving but gentle role, the female co-stars have small but juicy roles, and no one is afraid to let their hair down. Jane Lynch (of Guest-Levy improv royalty) displays such confident on-the-spot skills that no one else can touch her.
Extras entertain through deleted scenes with commentary by Apatow and Rogan, extended scenes, Rogan's wine-and-dine with the movie's porn star, a gag real, and a party commentary track with the director and cast. Side-stepping many clichés and falling smack-dab into others, this movie is a good mindless romp with a touch of civility.