The 40-Year-Old Virgin

grumpus · December 08, 2005, 09:13:57 PM

Quote from: Ravi on October 10, 2005, 04:26:12 PM
I thought it was already a little too long. Seventeen more minutes may not be the best idea.

Having not seen the theatrical release I can't say what was added to the DVD, but the "unrated" version felt at least a half hour too long. There were pointless subplots, scenes that went nowhere and more flat jokes than I care to recall. Carrell, Rudd and Rogen were all very funny but their characters didn't develop at all, which is well and good for a 10 minute sketch, and acceptable for a 90 minute popcorn flick. But at two hours and ten minutes I just stopped laughing as the same small pool of jokes were repeated ad nauseum. I don't quite understand the need to include an extended cut beyond the marketing aspect. It's something to flash on the DVD cover, but why do it at the cost of the film?
Overall there were a few big laughs and a slight but persisting charm which prevents me from actively disliking the picture, but it only barely rises above your standard Ben Stiller staring gross out slapstick comedy, which is disappointed considered the talent involved.

Also on the DVD is a 5 minute bit between Rudd and Rogen that is perhaps funnier than anything in the movie itself.

edison · December 09, 2005, 02:56:30 PM

Quote from: grumpus on December 08, 2005, 09:13:57 PM
Also on the DVD is a 5 minute bit between Rudd and Rogen that is perhaps funnier than anything in the movie itself.

This is an extended version of the "Know how I know you are gay?" scene

SHAFTR · December 13, 2005, 10:31:12 PM

I just watched this and around the 90 minute mark I glanced at the DVD display and thought it should be wrapping up soon (the film was taking this direction as well). 40 minutes later it ended. Way too long for a comedy. I'll be honest, I wasn't too impressed with the trailer, so I was never very excited about it. Anyways, everyone said it was great, friends loved it, critics loved it, so I rented it today. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I didn't really feel anything. At times the relationship between the friends felt real, but by the end I had loss that connection.

Maybe I'm being too hard on it. It is definitely an above average comedy (although I thought Wedding Crashers was much better), but I just didn't have the same reaction to it as the rest of America.

Note: I thought the Chest waxing scene looked dumb in the trailer, but I was wrong. It was one of my favorite parts of the movie.

modage · December 13, 2005, 10:35:31 PM

i havent seen the longer dvd cut but i had the same reaction as you.

Gold Trumpet · December 21, 2005, 12:50:18 AM

My opinion of this film in theaters was it could do no wrong. No true plot. no true aim. it was really funny. Ended up seeing it many times not caring how long the film was. A series of good jokes I guess could never be too long.

Now I saw the Unrated cut. Maybe it can be too long. The movie doesn't try to interject new scenes really, but just pronouce more on the scenes already there. Watching the movie in theaters i laughed out loud at the obvious jokes and smiled at the ones that were underplayed. Those kept me going because the characters I grew to know them made them funnier. Seeing the scenes fleshed out loses that appeal of nuance the film oddly had going for it. I'll give the unrated cut one more shot but if no go, I'll buy the rated R disc.

©brad · January 02, 2006, 08:37:16 PM

funniest line:

"you know what a fun game is? take three excedrin PMs and try to wack off before you fall asleep."

this was the funniest movie i've seen in a while. and yeah it was waaay too long but who cares.

go rent it now.

SiliasRuby · January 31, 2009, 03:02:42 PM

I resaw this the other night. Right after 'Platoon' of all movies. This is movie that is beyond rediculous in its concept but tries to ground itself in reality. Yeah, its extremely funny but in a old school crass kevin smith way. Carell brillantly brings humanity with may have been a whiny, pity filled character. The end of the film still feels I don't know...more than a little strange and over the top, but I guess it works. But, man does it still make me laugh.

private witt · January 31, 2009, 04:33:51 PM

I counted more product placements in FYOV than any film I can imagine. And I'm pretty sure somebody in the petroleum industry paid to get the anti-bicycle jokes thrown in. It's a funny film, but it's only funny the first time around. Upon second viewing it feels predictable and over-planned, save for the improv chest waxing scene. I'm not surprised at all that all of Carell's films after this one have tanked. He's funny, but that's not enough. Robin Williams, Woody Allen, Bill Murry and all the rest learned early on that just being funny isn't enough to have a career as an actor. I don't think Steve Carrell knows how to do anything other than his affable baffoon character. And a few more years of this formula and he'll be another Steve Martin.

Pedro · February 01, 2009, 02:59:35 PM

Would you say he played an affable buffoon in Little Miss Sunshine?

private witt · February 01, 2009, 03:25:01 PM

Yeah, good point. It was a little darker, but I still feel like I'm watching the same guy with each role he plays. And that's not always a bad thing, but it seems to be a limiting factor for him. Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler have made tons of cash by playing the same character over and over and over, so maybe my theory is totally whack.