Brevity is the nature of wit. Sometimes less is more. Insert your cliche here. It's not the size that...Ok you get the picture. The original theatrical cut of "The 40 Year Old Virgin" is actually a better film than the unrated edition. The unrated edition is flabby, too long and misses much of the punch of the theatrical version. The origianl theatrical version is funnier as well. Few words horrify men as much as the word virginity. ***

Please note: much of this is ported over (much like the special features and transfer here)from my other review of "The 40 Year Old Virgin: Unrated" from 2005. ***

Losing it seems is the preoccupation of most men except Andy (Steve Carrell). Andy works at Smart-Tech and his life is pretty dull. His obsessions are video games, toy collecting and gourmet cooking all of which suggest he's stuck in age 16 mode. When Andy's new friends at Smart-Tech discover that he's a virgin during a poker game, they're bound and determined to help Andy score. There's one complication-Andy's already met the woman of his dreams divorced 40 something Trish (Catherine Keener in a terrific supporting role) who already has children. When Andy's relationship with Trish takes off he's conflicted about telling her about his lack of experience. ***

A very funny comedy which is, at its core, about fidelity, truthfulness and relationships "The 40 Year Old Virgin" isn't for the faint of heart. The unrated version (which is the one I viewed on DVD) has about 17 minutes of additional footage which translates into more uses of nasty language than any truly funny scenes. Personally, I preferred the theatrical version which I felt had a bit more humanity in the comedy. Still, this film manages to tackle an issue that faces everyone at one point. Carrell ("Bruce Almighty") gives a star making sweet performance as Andy. He's ably supported by a terrific cast including Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener, Seth Rogen and other fine supporting players. ---

Image & Sound:

Clearly this bad boy has been around as the transfer looked a bit muddy but detail is very good throughout the movie. Flesh tones and colors appear to be fairly accurate although the image looked a bit flat. The images looked crisp. The 5.1 focuses mostly on the dialogue which isn't a surprise given that it's a comedy dependent on verbal wit to carry many of these scenes. ---

The new edition is the old edition in a new package with a couple of minor differences that aren't really important. If you have the previous edition, you don't need this one. Having said that, let's review what's on this one. ***

The commentary featuring Judd Apatow, Carrell and others from the cast is a pretty interesting glimpse into the thought process that went on before, during and after shooting. The cast discusses the multiple improv sessions for some scenes and with most of the main cast (Keener doesn't appear sadly) the track remains lively and entertaining. ***

We also get the gag reel which, surprisingly, isn't all that funny consisting of blown lines. The best bit though is the featurette entitled imaginatively enough "The Waxing Doc" where we get to see the all too real and painful waxing sequence. Shot from multiple angles since it was the real deal and a one-take shot (hey I'd only want to do it one time, too if that). It reassured me that waxing is NOT the way to go. ***

"You Know I Know Your Gay" is an extended version of the scene from the film with optional audio commentary. "My Dinner with Stormy" is a brief comedy bit with co-producer/cast member Seth Rogan meets porn star Stormy Daniels. Rogan asks her a series of questions as she gets increasingly more provocative. ***

"Line-O-Rama" collects some of the unsued alternate dialogue from the film. "Date-a-Polooza" extends the speed dating scene from the movie. We also get "70's Sex Ed Film" (yep, it's the real deal) which is pretty funny by itself. "Video Diaries" features director Apatow discussing issues along the way shooting the movie. He makes even the smallest issue pretty funny. "Raw Footage" features alternate/longer pieces from various scenes involving Carrell in the film. "Auditions" is exactly that by various members of the cast. "Reel Comedy Roundtable" features Carrell and other members of the cast discussing the film from Comedy Central. ***

Oh and we get a very clever cover that strips Carrell of his shirt. ---

Final Words: