the key to the 40 year old virgin be not merely that andy stitzer be a 40 year old virgin and but rather the manner in which steve carell present him a one . in a genre of crass comedy that have become typify by it lack of humor and engage character and the 40 year old virgin offer a colorful cast and an intelligent and heartfelt script that doesn not use it protagonist a the butt end of cruel joke . that andy be still a virgin at forty year old be not as much a joke and in fact and a it be a curiosity . carell and a veteran of team ferrell in anchorman and an ex daily show castmember and use the concept of the film to expand his character we get to understand why andy be the way he be . it the little thing that make this film work . when andy co worker at an electronics store ask him what he do for the weekend and andy describes his failed effort at cook . when andy rid his bike to work and he signal his turn . he doesn not just adorn his home with action figure he paint them and and talk to them and and reveals that some of the really old one have belong to him since childhood . a less comedy wouldn not even begin to focus on all of these thing . the plot be fairly simplistic andy co worker pal find out he never have sex and they make it a personal quest of theirs to get him in bed with a woman . it a childish idea and the film make no attempt to conceal it juvenility . andy friend be a complement to his neurotic nature represent david ( paul rudd ) have break up with his girlfriend over two year ago but be still obsess with her and jay ( romany malco ) be a womanize lady man and cal ( seth rogen ) be a tattooed sexaholic . their attempt at get andy in the sack backfire numerous time and and each time leave andy feel less and less optimistic . finally andy meet single mom trish ( play by catherine keener ) and and much to the chagrin of his worry buddy who claim mother aren not worth it and he fall in love with her . they begin a relationship and agree to put off have sex for twenty day trish be unaware that andy be still a virgin . the 40 year old virgin be direct by judd apatow and the man who produce anchorman and the cable guy and and begin the short live cult tv show freak and geek . apatow be renowned for his unique sense of humor and and the script co write by carell offer plenty . however and in the end the most interesting and ( indeed surprise ) aspect of the 40 year old virgin be it maturity . by now you be probably well aware that the film receive glow review from the critic and and even i be surprise by it warm reception . but after see the film and it easy to understand why . we like andy . we care about him . he not just some cardboard cutout sex comedy cliché he a real and living and breathe person . his neurotic trait combine the best of woody allen with childish naivety . his friend be not unlikable jerk and his romance be tumultuous and bittersweet . it strike a chord with the audience . although this be far from be a perfect movie and definitely contain some rather crude innuendo and sexual humor and it doesn not offend to the extent that other genre entry might have because we have affection for the people on screen . the best sex comedy work this way from risky business to american pie and that be the major difference between something like the 40 year old virgin and 40 day and 40 night .