She’s Out Of My League

• Released Internationally on 12/03/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 23/06/10

Preview (first published 29/05/10 in VIDA Magazine)

June is looking like a good month for comedy, and the second most promising offering is an underdog story with heart. The man against the odds is Kirk, portrayed by Jay Baruchel, the young and slightly-built guy who played unlikely heroes in Tropic Thunder and the recent How To Train Your Dragon. After tackling the Vietnam jungle and a nest of dragons, he now attempts to win over a far deadlier foe – a 10/10 woman. His supportive friends assure him that he is clearly a 5/10 at best, and affectionately refer to him as a moodle, or man-poodle, whom women would love to pet. But for some strange reason, the stunning blonde Molly (Alice Eve – ­Crossing Over, Sex and the City 2) seems to have more than just pity for him, and with nothing to lose, he puts pride aside and goes for gold. The least us males can do is support him in this noble venture.

Review (22/06/10)

Beating the odds

Despite being inherently predictable, this films works. It may not cover any new ground, or deliver any unexpected thrills, but for its entire duration it manages to keep us interested in the romantic endeavours of its hapless hero, and his unlikely shot at scoring out of his league. This is largely thanks to the two main characters. Baruchel’s Kirk is hard not to like, and his attempts in the opening scenes to win back his previous girlfriend firmly establish his lowly rank in the world of romance. If geeky is the new cool, this guy is ice cold. Rather hotter, however, is Molly, who floats through airport security, where Kirk works, setting off every alarm in sight, including his. When she leaves her phone behind, he suddenly has a chance to meet her again, and she seems unusually nice to him when they do. Alice Eve manages to balance looking ridiculously hot with acting rather down-to earth, making her seem somehow attainable. If we can see it, then eventually so can Kirk.

Support network

Before he sees it though, his friends do. As is standard in these sort of love/sex comedies, the friends and family of the main couple play an essential role. Kirk has three close friends and colleagues with wildly varying views about life, the universe and everything. They provide some of the better scenes and lines, with hopeless romantic Devon often being the most original and amusing of the three. Inevitably, their interaction with Molly's friends takes on a role of its own. Kirk's family, however, make his friends seem meek. Loud, obnoxious and incredibly thick, they constantly ruin Kirk's life, and when Molly comes over for lunch he has good reason to feel uneasy. The family chemistry culminates in a hilarious in-flight scene later on in the film, which is well-played.

Self-esteem

As expected, Kirk's self-worth proves crucial in his attempt at greatness. In a world where perceived quality is swiftly replacing actual quality as a key to success, Kirk needs all the help he can get to believe in himself and project the right image. Sadly, he would probably not stand a chance in reality, but who needs reality when we're heading to the cinema?

Trailer:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/shesoutofmyleague/