Director: Jim Field Smith
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve & T.J. Miller
While filled with character and situational clichés common to romantic comedies, the likeability of the film’s cast particularly Jay Baruchel, makes the film more enjoyable than its formula should allow.
Having often played supporting roles in comedies such as Knocked Up and Tropic Thunder and recently voiced the lead role in animated film How to Train Your Dragon, Jay Baruchel is the latest actor from the Judd Apatow crew to graduate from supporting act to leading role with romantic comedy She’s Out of My League. The result, while playing with convention by having an attractive woman fall for a less than attractive man, does add some novelty to the romantic comedy formula but generally the film is a predictable affair sticking too closely to many other conventions.
Kirk (Baruchel), a twenty-something with low self esteem, working as an airport security guard, is getting over a recent break up. When he defends an attractive woman named Molly from the advances of his colleagues he ends up meeting her again when he finds her phone left at the airport. As a thank you, Molly invites Kirk to a hockey game where he discovers Molly is interested in him which is news surprising to Kirk as he places himself, on a scale of attractiveness, as a 5 and Molly as a 10. Why would Molly be interesting in Kirk when he feels she’s out of his league and can Kirk himself deal with the pressure of living up to expectations he believes are beyond him?
Playing against a few conventions of the romantic comedy genre by having one its lead characters be less than, by Hollywood standards, attractive means She’s Out of My League has some moments that are not only fantasies of many an audience member of average appearance, but also funny and sometimes insightful reflections upon the importance of looks in relationships and in the building of self confidence. The twist isn’t as daring as it could be if the story had revolved around an attractive guy and an average looking girl, but the attempt to play against convention at all has its appeal even though some reasons for why Molly is attracted to Kirk are less well explained than the problems Kirk has (his own inadequacy and elements of placing Molly of a pedestal) with dating Molly. Aside from the novelty of the relationship that the differences between Kirk and Molly present, the rest of the film follows fairly close to formula with misunderstandings, competition from other suitors, interfering friends and gross out gags over physical appearance all falling within the realms of “seen it all before” right up to the predictable conclusion.
She’s Out of My League does benefit from a likeable cast and enjoyable performances from them. Jay Baruchel is loveable and funny as Kirk with his nervous energy and spindly frame making him enjoyably awkward and sympathetic when facing a romance with someone as glamorous as Molly yet still manages to come across smart and quick witted. Alice Eve is also likeable as Molly, bringing more to the role than just being a pretty face which is also necessary for the role of Molly who, despite her appearance, has struggled with self esteem problems herself, notably the pressure others have placed on her to be perfect based on her looks. There is also enjoyable support from comedians such as T.J. Miller and Nate Torrance as Kirk’s loudmouth and shy friends respectively and from Lindsay Sloane as Kirk’s ex-girlfriend Marnie who, having dumped Kirk previously, become amusingly jealous upon seeing how attractive his new girlfriend is in comparison to her.
Predictable both in plot and in gags, She’s Out of My League still entertains based on the likeability of its cast, especially Baruchel, and from some of the novelties of the romance.
Rating: 3/5
