Overview
A middle-aged man's quest for love leads to unexpected hilarity and self-discovery.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- raunchy
- awkward
- witty
- date night
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film unusually funny, sweet, and emotionally sincere, with Steve Carell’s leading performance and the ensemble chemistry carrying its raunchy material.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Andy’s virginity, lack of sexual knowledge, and coworkers’ intrusive attempts to help drive the film’s comic situations.
Andy must decide how openly to discuss his inexperience with Trish while pursuing a serious relationship.
David, Jay, and Cal organize efforts to help Andy while projecting their own relationship problems onto his situation.
The film combines profanity and sexual situations with an affectionate portrayal of Andy and his developing romance with Trish.
Films like The 40 Year Old Virgin, and why
Wedding Crashers
Shares an R-rated sex comedy framework, awkward male bonding, workplace-adjacent social embarrassment, and a warm romantic center.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Combines raunchy comedy, immature male friendship, relationship problems, and a surprisingly sincere emotional arc.
Knocked Up
Features an anxious romantic protagonist, crude situational humor, sexual self-consciousness, and an affectionate ensemble tone.
Bridget Jones's Diary
Pairs explicit sexual comedy with an endearing outsider protagonist and a conventional but emotionally sincere romance.
Movie Details
- Director
- Judd Apatow
- Release Date
- 2005-08-11
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (7457)
Cast
- Steve Carell
- Catherine Keener
- Paul Rudd
- Romany Malco
- Seth Rogen
- Elizabeth Banks
- Leslie Mann
- Jane Lynch
- Gerry Bednob
- Shelley Malil
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The 40 Year Old Virgin about?
- A socially isolated electronics clerk relies on misguided coworkers and hard-won honesty to pursue love while confronting lifelong sexual inexperience.
- What is The 40 Year Old Virgin like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The 40 Year Old Virgin as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The 40 Year Old Virgin violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The 40 Year Old Virgin.
- What did critics think of The 40 Year Old Virgin?
- Critics broadly found the film unusually funny, sweet, and emotionally sincere, with Steve Carell’s leading performance and the ensemble chemistry carrying its raunchy material.
- Which films are like The 40 Year Old Virgin?
- Films with a similar feel include Wedding Crashers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, and Bridget Jones's Diary.
- How long is The 40 Year Old Virgin?
- The 40 Year Old Virgin runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch The 40 Year Old Virgin?
- In United States, The 40 Year Old Virgin streams on YouTube TV.
