Steve Carell is ... "The 40-Year-Old Virgin!"

"The 40-Year-Old Virgin!" is the reverse image of "Wedding Crashers!" -- a raunchy comedy whose profane exterior contains a good-natured (if deceptive) romance.

Steve Carell of TV's "The Daily Show" is up to the task of playing the titular role. (If the adjective "titular" makes you snicker, you will love this movie.) His buddies are the usual Hollywood mix: the street-wise guy, the sensitive guy, the stoner guy. Plus, there's the obligatory nutty/slutty boss and a few foul-mouthed foreigners. Catherine Keener of "Being John Malkovich!" fame plays the virgin's love interest, adding a touch of class to the production.

The movie plays out as one might expect: the establishment of the virgin as a total nerd but nice guy; his outing as a sexual novice; the friends' efforts to hook him up through bars and speed dating; the virgin's tortured path between easy and unpleasant sex and a meaningful first experience. There are plenty of laughs along the way, such as when our hero attempts to don a condom.

At the screening I saw, a fellow movie-goer decided that this was going to be an interactive experience. He responded to nearly every over-the-top joke by blurting out "Oh my Lord!" At one point he announced, "I am learning so much from this movie." And he sang along with the various cheeseball songs on the soundtrack, including Asia's "Heat of the Moment." His comments provided a sort of laugh track. After the lights came up, it was apparent that this film fan was about 16 years old, and that his mother was accompanying him. D'oh!

DULLARD RATING
"Virgin" on its own: So-so.
"Virgin" with live commentary track from a teenager: Rocked!