by Izzy Kalman (June 2006)
In my newsletters, I generally try to recommed movies that have particular value, but this time I am recommending one primarily for laughs. I don’t like to think that I’m wasting time, but since laughter is the best medicine, I tell myself a good comedy is not really a waste. The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005, Judd Apatow) was a pretty big hit, so there is a good chance that you have already seen it. But if you haven’t, and you want a good laugh, this should do the trick. Be cautioned, though, that the content is sexual, with some drug usage, and is not appropriate for children, or for adults who object to sexual content in entertainment. The main character, Andy, is played by Steve Carell, whom my kids and their friends insist I stronly resemble, both in appearance and mannerisms, and that I could pass as his father. Somehow I suspect this is not a compliment. (The truth is that he did remind me of myself as I was watching.) Every scene in this movie could stand on its own merit as a comedy skit. There are a couple of great scenes of angry power plays between the Black and Indian salesmen in the consumer electronics store where Andy works. These angry power plays look an awful lot like the role-plays in my seminars. Mental health professionals will probably be tempted to diagnose Andy. Personally, I am not particularly proficient at diagnosis, but I think Andy is hard to classify because his character is not a consistent personality. Some of the things he does are not believable for such a socially/emotionally delayed person. To make a connection with my teachings, I will remind you that humor is not positive. It is negative. Humor involves making people look stupid, clumsy and miserable, and if you keep this in mind when watching, you will see what I am talking about.
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