As a wonderful surprise last Tuesday night, my husband took me out to the movies! For a change, I decided to let him pick the flick. Not surprisingly, he went with a bit of a lighter fare than I'm usually inclined to choose myself.
She's Out of My League, although certainly far from ever achieving the coveted Oscar nod, turned out to be a mildly amusing romantic comedy. The age-old, boy-meets-girl story gained a bit of a twist as the male lead, Kirk, played by Jay Baruchel, presented the down-trotten story of a mid-30s guy stuck in a dead-end job at a Pittsburg airport desperately trying to win back his, by-all-accounts, trashy, ex-girlfriend Marnie (played by Lindsay Sloane), when he suddenly meets the girl of his dreams, beautiful, viviacious, too-good-to-be true - Molly (played by Alice Eve).
Surrounded by his somewhat idiotic friends (who in the end turn out to be his saving grace), we watch as Kirk fumbles through awkard pseudo-dates with Molly; all the while questioning why anyone like Molly would be with a guy like him. After a fair amount of time/dates the two become an item; much to the chagrin of Molly's family and much to the shock of Kirk's less-than-supportive extended family (which humurously includes his ex and her polo-shirt-attired boyfriend Ron).
Throughout the ensuing scenes, we watch helplessly as Kirk struggles against his own self-loathing to see what Molly sees in him; a kind, if yet, "safe", sensitive romantic.
Some viewers may recognize Baruchel from previous films to include small roles in Tropic Thunder and Knocked Up. But my favorite harkens back to his Zeppelin-obsessed "band aid" character, Vic Munoz, the Zeppelin fan, in Almost Famous. Although older, and certainly more mature, Baruchel holds tight to his slight, nerdish frame; expertly playing the Anthony Michael Hall "we really wish he gets the girl!"-created pursuer.
Lastly, this review would be remiss without the mention of Kirk's BBF, Stainer, (played by T.J. Miller). A quick glance at his stats indicates Miller is a relative newcomer on the scene, but in this movie-goers opinion, his physical appearance and comedic "buddy comedy/bromance" timing, places him on the path of the Kevin James, Will Ferrells, and Jason Segels of the world. (I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more Miller roles in the future).
She's Out of My League comes recommended for those looking for a light-fare "date night" flick. For those looking for substance, our advice... keep looking.
The Bee Charmer Rating: C+
