Dudebro savior Judd Apatow turns 46 today. I have no clue who his #1 BFF actually is, but based on his movies, I assume that Judd is hugging that bro at this very moment. So in honor of the man who revitalized the buddy comedy, here is a selection of the most bromantic moments from Apatow’s films.
I Love You, Man
Out of all of Apatow’s movies, I Love You, Man is the most explicitly bromantic. (Seriously, just look at that title.) When Peter (Paul Rudd) and Sydney (Jason Segel) stare deeply into each other’s eyes and express their luuurve, they upstage Paul’s actual wedding ceremony.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
There is something to be said for being with your bro when he’s getting his chest waxed. Of course, I am not a bro, and so can only speak from a bro-adjacent POV — but I have never accompanied any of my female friends in getting anything waxed. When Cal (Seth Rogen) holds Andy’s (Steve Carrell) hand during the nipple-encroaching part of his wax appointment, that’s dedication.
Superbad
At the end of their crazy night trying and failing to sleep with their high school crushes, Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) have a heart-to-heart in their sleeping bags and express their undying love for each other. (“I just love you, I just want to go to the rooftops and scream, ‘I love my best friend!’”) It’s all the drunken feels, condensed into a few minutes of sweet, heartwarming goodness.
Pineapple Express
Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and his pot dealer Saul (James Franco) inadvertently simulate sex while trying to escape the clutches of some bad dudes. It’s a cheap laugh over homoerotic undertones, but at least it doesn’t end with “no homo.”
Step Brothers
When Brennan’s (Will Ferrell) mother and Dale’s (John C. Reilly) father get married, the two middle-aged men have to live together as stepbrothers. They start out as enemies before inevitably becoming friends. Rapid-fire quizzing turns into an instant connection. And, in proper rom-com fashion, you can expect Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams” to score their bonding montage.
Funny People
There’s nothing like a bundle of tears to equal bromance. Ira (Seth Rogen) breaks down in a restaurant because his friend George (Adam Sandler) has only told him about his terminal illness. George responds, “People are going to think we just broke up or something.”
Knocked Up
In this deleted scene from Apatow’s 2007 hit, Jason (Jason Segel) visits his friend Ben’s (Seth Rogen) bed to talk about the birth of Ben’s baby. It’s adorably sweet for the first minute… until he starts talking about wanting to screw Ben’s child in about 20 years, assuming she looks like Katherine Heigl. Sigh.