3. Andy - The 40-Year Old Virgin
The film that proved to the world that Steve Carell is more than capable of leading a huge comedy, The 40-Year Old Virgin is without a doubt one of the best comedies of the 21st century. Carell was already on The Office at the time of the film's release, and it could be argued that the success of the movie strongly helped keep the show on the air. On top of that, it was the main factor in ushering in the Judd Apatow film era, and the guy pretty much owns R-Rated comedy now, even if some of his more recent films have been a little self-indulgent. As great as the supporting players, including Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen were, it was Carell who stole the show, as the lovable, somewhat pathetic 40-year old that the title so bluntly references. He is vulnerable and geeky, but utterly lovable, and the performance rides strongly on Carell's charm and willingness to poke fun at his own character. It's also an incredibly restrained performance, owing something to classical farces, and Carell's Andy is arguably one of the finest modern tragicomic fools.