The 40 Year Old Virgin

Right now you can watch The 40 Year Old Virgin in Australia on Netflix and Stan, and in the US on Philo and MGM Plus — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Steve Carell leads a cast with real comic timing. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The 40 Year Old Virgin is worth clearing space for. The 40 Year Old Virgin gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Andy Stitzer has a pleasant life with a nice apartment and a job stamping invoices at an electronics store. But at age 40, there's one thing Andy hasn't done, and it's really bothering his sex-obsessed male co-workers: Andy is still a virgin. Determined to help Andy get laid, the guys make it their mission to de-virginize him. Between them, Steve Carell and Catherine Keener carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 2005. The timing in The 40 Year Old Virgin is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in The 40 Year Old Virgin. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Steve Carell's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.