Kirk (Jay Baruchel – Tropic Thunder) is an airport security officer and is unhappy with the way his life has panned out. He still pines over his ex-girlfriend Marnie (Lindsay Sloane – Sabrina The Teenage Witch) who clearly doesn’t feel the same way and is stuck in a dead end job he hates. He is lucky enough to have a great circle of friends around him though including Devon (Nate Torrence – Get Smart), Stainer (T.J. Miller – Extract) and Jack (Mike Vogel – Cloverfield) who all want him to move on from Marnie and her manipulative ways. Then one day he crosses paths with Molly (Alice Eve – Starter For Ten), a stunningly beautiful young woman who takes an instant liking to Kirk. The only thing is, she is easily a perfect 10 and Kirk doesn’t rate himself higher than a 5 so why would she ever be interested in him? Can Kirk play it cool for long enough to nab the girl of his dreams, even though she is out of his league?
She’s Out Of My League is a brilliant comedy with a lot of heart and a great premise all thrown together to make a very neat package. Director Jim Field Smith and writers Sean Anders and John Morris have made a gem of a movie that will have you laughing out loud whilst managing to tug at your heartstrings at the same time. This is thanks to a sweet romantic story being at the heart of the film and one that entertains throughout.
Jay Baruchel is convincing as the good natured Kirk who has issues with his own image. He allows the comedy to naturally flow without the need to force home the message and never marks Kirk out as a caricature for ridicule. Much like Steve Carell did in The 40 Year Old Virgin, Baruchel makes sure that this film’s leading man isn’t just a token geek, but rather a nice guy who just hasn’t had that many breaks in life. Baruchel works well against his ghastly onscreen family and shares a nice natural chemistry with his leading lady.
Speaking of which, a film like She’s Out Of My League can only succeed with a strong leading lady in tow and British actress Alice Eve really impresses as Molly. She is gorgeous and sassy but never portrays Molly as a superficial woman. It’s easy for films like this to neglect characterisation but Eve manages to flesh out her role with layers of depth rarely seen in films of a similar vein. Alice Eve is a real star in the making and after great performances in Starter For Ten and Crossing Over, she looks like becoming that next big thing. She also shares a great chemistry with Jay Baruchel and their relationship feels genuine and real, a big plus point for the film. She is painfully beautiful too so it’s very easy to see why Kirk falls head over heels for her in the first place!
The film is blessed with a great supporting cast too. T.J. Miller and Geoff Stults are very funny but the real gem is Nate Torrence as Kirk’s married friend Devon. He is hilarious and is at the centre of most of the movies funniest gags (like when he has to help Kirk shave downstairs prior to a big date). Also worth mentioning is Krysten Ritter who is amusing as Molly’s best friend Patty. She may be playing the same character as she did in Confessions of a Shopaholic but she’s great at doing that “best friend” role. Former Sabrina The Teenage Witch actress Lindsay Sloane also makes a long overdue return to the big screen as Kirk’s former lover who has somehow managed to take his place in his families affections. Sloane is wonderfully catty and handles the comedy really well.
She’s Out Of My League joins the likes of The Girl Next Door, Sex Drive and Can’t Hardly Wait in being a romantic comedy with a surprising amount of heart behind its bravado. At first glance the film looks just like a generic American Pie-esq sequel with little imagination or style. In fact this is quite the opposite and She’s Out Of My League is an accomplished take on the genre and definitely an engaging and likable story that impresses throughout. It’s not afraid to be different and take chances with the story and it is this refusal to bow to the conventions of the genre that should be most applauded. With two great leads in Baruchel and Eve, She’s Out Of My League is easily a perfect 10 and a great reminder that sometimes nice guys can indeed finish first.
Check out a profile on Alice Eve
Check out an interview with the guys from She's Out Of My League
Check out an interview with the girls from She's Out Of My League
Check out the She's Out Of My League clip - Premature
Check out the She's Out Of My League clip - No Underwear
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