The new century was ripe for comedy. Producer Judd Apatow had his hands in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). In 2005, he co-wrote Fun with Dick and Jane with Nicholas Stoller and The 40-Year-old Virgin with Steve Carrell. He also directed and produced the latter, starring Carrell, Rogen, Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener and Romany Malco. Released on Aug. 19, it went on to gross $109 million at the box office. Pretty good for a first-time director.
THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN (2005)
In his first lead acting role, Carrell plays Andy, a sheepish worker at Smart Tech, a large electronics store like PC Richards. His nosy co-workers – Cal (Rogen), David (Rudd) and Jay (Malco) – coax him into admitting he's a virgin. From that point on the focus of the movie is to get Andy laid.
It's not as easy as it sounds. Colossally awkward around women, Andy seeks advice from the guys, who suggest he cruise bars looking for drunk ladies. One is Nicky (Leslie Mann), who takes Andy on a dangerous DUI joyride. Another is Beth (Elizabeth Banks), who works at the nearby bookstore; their liaison doesn't go much better.
He's fixated on Trish (Keener), who sells items at a local eBay shop. Andy finally works up the courage to ask her out after they meet at Smart Tech.
The movie's hijinks include Andy famously having his chest hair waxed (ouch, it really happened) and smoking pot out of an apple with his buds. Rogen sports a goatee and tattoos and hits a bong in his first major supporting role. His advice to Andy?
"When I was growing pot I realized that the more seeds I planted the more pot I could ultimately smoke."
Despite the raunchy banter, Virgin is a sweet rom-com that offers a happy ending for all the guys who thought they'd never find a mate.
KNOCKED UP (2007)
Apatow and Rogen followed with Knocked Up and Superbad in 2007. Another rom-com, Knocked Up pairs Rogen with Katherine Heigl. Ben (Rogen) meets Alison (Heigl) in a bar and they end up at her place. Eight weeks later, Alison learns she's pregnant. It's an opposites-attract story: Ben's a stoner who works on a porn site with his wacky housemates played by Jason Segal, Jonah Hill, Martin Starr, Jay Baruchel and Charlyne Yi and Alison does on-air work for E! She's sophisticated, tall, blonde; he's immature and rotund. But Ben eventually comes around with the help of Alison's sister Debbie (Mann) and brother-in-law Pete (Rudd)
Ben goes from smoking in a gas mask and tripping on shrooms with Pete in Las Vegas to moving out and taking a desk job, all to show Alison he's serious about her. But she's still unconvinced and tells him to "go fuck your bong." During an earthquake, Ben breaks the bong, fracturing his stoner self-image. He's Alison's now. Knocked Up grossed $148 million
Working at a frenetic pace, Apatow produced and/or wrote Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Drillbit Taylor, Step Brothers and Pineapple Express, all released in 2007-2008.
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008)
Rogen and Evan Goldberg had established themselves as a writing team with Superbad, which grossed $121 million and co-starred Rogen as Officer Michaels. They wote Pineapple Express and Greg Mottola directed. Dale (Rogen) buys weed from Saul (James Franco) who shows him how to smoke a cross joint. A murder tips Dale off to the violent syndicate that's supplying Saul with the Pineapple Express strain. Unlike Apatow's previous efforts, it's pretty much a guy's movie with no romance in sight. Somewhat overrated, the movie grossed $87 million.
APATOW'S LATER CAREER
He's become more of a producer than diirector over the years. Apatow's credits include:
• Funny People (2009) D/P/W
• Year One (2009) P
• Get Him to the Greek (2010) P
• Bridesmaids (2011) P
• This Is 40 (2012) D/P/W
• Wanderlust (2012) P
• Girls (2012-2017) P
• Trainwreck (2015) D/P
• Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) P
• The King of Staten Island (2020) D/P/W
• Bros (2022) P/W
• George Carlin's American Dream (2022) D/P
ROGEN TODAY
The actor/writer/producer is having a big year with two hit shows at Apple TV+: The Studio and Platonic. The Studio recently received 23 Emmy nominations. Platonic, co-starring Rogen and Rose Byrne, is curently in Season 2.
MORE STONER COMEDIES
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High
MORE MOVIE LINKS
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