Out of His League, Out of My Mind
For those who have wondered if attractive women really ever could fall in love with the awkward nerdy guys . . . fear not. The answer has arrived and yes, it IS possible.
This is what Kirk (Jay Baruchel) finds out in the new comedy, She’s Out of My League, brought to screens by the minds of writers Sean Anders and John Morris, and the direction of Jim Field Smith.
Kirk is an awkward, insecure and underachieving airport security worker obsessed with trying to win back his ex-girlfriend from two years ago, Marnie (portrayed by Lindsay Sloane). His life begins to change, however, after he rescues the track-stopping Molly (Alice Eve) from his ogling co-workers, finds her lost phone, and returns it to her when she’s back in town. From here, the two embark on the highly improbable romance of a “hard 10” hottie, and a “solid 5” average guy, much to the astonishment of those surrounding them. Their relationship hits a snag, however, when Kirk’s insecurities (fueled by his buds who are telling him it’ll never work and a few chance encounters with Molly’s ex) get the best of him.
The film never fails to deliver laughs, drawing heavily on more mature humor for entertainment purposes. It will never be said that the movie was boring, but, like the improbable relationship it follows, it hits a few bumps along the way.
The first bump is that some parts of the movie are too predictable, which takes away from some of its value. What is refreshing about these raunchier and more masculine romantic comedies that have come out over the years is that they never truly cease to be original. It could be that this movie suffers from a later release date than its predecessors, but some of the scenes feel as if no effort was put into writing them, especially the ending scene at the airport. Granted, it’s where the characters met, so ending it elsewhere would seem silly, but they could have tried to do something a little different with it. It seemed a little too by-the-book.
The second bump happens to be the initial chemistry between Kirk and Molly. Though it does make an appearance later on, the two initial kisses that occur between the characters are a little awkward. Again, it's very possible it was written that way to build on the oddities of their relationship, but it seemed just a tad bit too much like the chemistry was missing, which could also have just been on the parts of Baruchel and Eve.
The real obstacle the film has to overcome is that most of the performances are easily forgettable. By no stretch of the imagination are they horrible, when in fact they are actually quite funny, but most don’t really stick out in the mind. Kirk and Molly both somewhat fade into the background, joining Marnie, Kirk’s friend, Jack (Mike Vogel), and Molly’s friend, Patty (Krysten Ritter), who aren’t memorable to begin with. Every other character really is in the background and has no real sense of place, with the exception of Stainer (T. J. Miller) and Devon (Nate Torrence), Kirk’s other two friends. These two are the only performances that stand out. Stainer is like the absolutely annoying drunk guy at a bar who makes you laugh and feel an insane urge to smack him silly at the same time, and Devon is the little boy in a grown man’s body, apt to quoting Disney movies and relating them to real life. These would be the most refreshing performances, making them stand out above the rest.
Overall, the film is a pretty decent one that is worth the movie ticket money, as it gives audiences an excuse to laugh themselves silly for an hour and 47 minutes, but it could use improvements. It’s a job well done, and maybe it’s possible that the only thing standing in its way is that it came out after so many other successful comedies of the type. Hopefully, this creative team can start a mini franchise in the same way the Judd Apatow comedy machine has. But if not, they at least have one decent effort in the can.
Photo: LA Times