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By
DEBORAH NICOL
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. Such is the fragile plot focus of
many early ‘80's 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. |
