From PASTO, COLOMBIA-Via: L. A. CA; CALI, COLOMBIA+ORLANDO, FL
--------------The ONLY Tony Kiss Castillo on FaceBook! ------------
As often occurs in Hollywood, Movies are made where the main idea seems to be so good, so foolproof, that you react by saying, "Damn, what a hell of a great premise for a movie! No WAY they can screw THAT up!" Unfortunately, where there's a will, there's a Way, and, consequently, sometimes even the best of concepts results in a five-alarm disastrous of a film... Thank God that, The 40 Year Old Virgin, is a case of "The Exception Proves the Rule!" And this, despite the fact that Universal seemed to do just about everything possible to spoil Virgin, it is definitely worth watching, at least once!
In the title role we have the comedy sensation of recent years, Steve Carell, who entered the Comedy Stratosphere with Bruce Almighty. (Where Mr. Carell was Jim Carey's TV weatherman competition. Remember that now famous scene where Carell's character is trying to break some important news, but all he can manage to get out is a series of weird grunts, groans and assorted sounds!)
It seems that, Carrell, who really WAS around 40 at the time ALMIGHTY was made, attained great comic success relatively late in life... But, of course, much better late..! One of Virgin's excesses is that every time the film reaches a rather difficult stretch, it appears that Director, Tom Shadyac (Liar, Liar) places too much responsibility on the shoulders of his leading man, who, despite his great and varied talents, sometimes can't help showing just how much of a struggle it is to carry the film forward.
Another example where VIRGIN is a bit over-the-top, regards the unrelenting profanity in the dialog! If any of you non-native speakers out there were not familiar with some of these words in English, during each viewing, you'll get to practice them at least a hundred times! At some point, it just stops being funny for everyone in the audience. Also, there is simply too much information about too many sexual acts and other kinky incidentals that might have provoked laughter the first, second, or even a bit the third time, but with the umpteenth reference ends up being downright nauseating.
With a run-time of nearly two hours, I think that Virgin would have been even more enjoyable with at least 5 to 10 minutes of strategic editing. But, despite the flaws mentioned here, there are a number of scenes that produce industrial-size laughter, which readily justify the time you invest watching! Also, Virgin demonstrates more than enough originality, both in general concept and in how it has been brought to the screen.
It is well worth mentioning co-star, Catherine Keener (The Interpreter, Being John Malkovich), certainly, a very underrated actress in Hollywood. She plays the competition for love interest to perfection, giving the film a much needed touch of realism and credibility. So here is an interesting and fun film that will probably feel good to both men and women alike! There is almost nothing visually graphic in Virgin, but because of its non-stop hardcore locker room language, I would recommend it for those at least 15, or over, in your family.
No matter if you lost yours at 12 or at 40 or even if you still are...Virgin makes us ALL laugh about an integral component of the human condition, one with which each and every one of us can probably relate to!
7*.... ENJOY!/DISFRUTELA!
Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are welcome!
