The 40-Year-Old Virgin: A Timeless Comedy That Hasn't Aged

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Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) playing tennis in Battle of the Sexes.

Published Mar 15, 2026, 10:02 AM EDT

Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin is 21 years old, and it still hasn't aged a day, as evidenced by its current streaming success on HBO Max. In 2004, Judd Apatow, a then mostly unknown filmmaker, teamed up with Steve Carell, an actor who stole the show in Anchorman but was still a few months away from stardom in The Office.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin earned $177 million at the box office (via BoxOfficeMojo) and has an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. It should be ranked among the great comedies of all time and helped launch the careers of just about everyone in it. It's an ageless film that people are still enjoying decades later.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin Hasn't Aged Because The Movie Doesn't Judge Andy For Being A Virgin

Steve Carell gets a pep talk from Jane Lynch in The 40 Year Old Virgin

The 40-Year-Old Virgin just sounds like a comedy that would age badly. Sex comedies rarely age well, and the storyline sounds like something that might not sound so funny years later. Apatow and his crew are much more clever than that, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin is wise in how it deals with its subject.

In a film filled with sex jokes, crude comments, and mature language (to say the least), what stands out years later is how compassionate a film it is. Andy is a dork. His apartment is filled with action figures, he sings karaoke alone, he rides a bike everywhere, he's your classic nerd.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin never says there's anything wrong with that, though. In fact, out of any of Andy's co-workers, he appears to have the healthiest attitude when it comes to sex. While he is happy to find a loving and physical relationship, The 40-Year-Old Virgin never insists his life would be terrible without one.

It's a strikingly honest film, because the movie only feels as bad about Andy's situation as the character does. It never judges its main character, which makes watching The 40-Year-Old Virgin feel like a much more complete and relatable experience.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin Has Aged Better Than Many Popular Comedies

Andy (Steve Carell) painting a figurine in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

When it comes to aging poorly, comedies may do it the worst out of any genre. What passes as funny changes so quickly, and that's not even counting how societal expectations change. Sometimes something's funny, then it's not. Going back to a lot of comedies, even those from the 2000s, can be disappointing.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin doesn't have this problem. Every joke is still as funny now as it was back then, but you stick around because the jokes are wrapped around an expertly written story with heart and a payoff. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a complete movie and one that will probably remain a comedy staple for years to come.