Genre of the Month: Geek Chic

08-09-2008 11:42

The Geek Chic movies really were 2007's film genre of the year with the likes of Knocked Up and Superbad doing well both critically and commercially.

Stars like Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller used to be the faces of comedy on the big screen and then Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell were the toast of tinsel town.

But now regular band of buddies Johan Hill, Seth Rogen Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are gate-crashing the party and there is just one man to thank for that, Judd Apatow.

It all started back in 2004 and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, produced by Apatow and starring Will Ferrell. But despite Anchorman's success it was perhaps 2005's The 40 Year Old Virgin that really kicked the Geek Chic genre into life.

The 40 year Old Virgin brought together Apatow, who directed, produced and penned the script, with Seth Rogen, who produced, and Steve Carell who starred as Andy Stitzer.

40-year-old Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell) has done quite a few things in his life. He's got a cushy job stamping invoices at an electronics superstore, a nice apartment with a proud collection of action figures and comic books, good friends, a nice attitude.

But there's just one little thing he hasn't quite gotten around to doing yet, something most people have done by his age. Done a lot. Andy's never, ever, ever had sex, not even by accident.