Can a five on the attractive scale nab a hard 10? It may seem impossible, but in “She’s Out of My League,” one can see how it might happen.
In Jim Field Smith’s directorial debut, he creates a story about a nerdy male Kirk (Jay Baruchel) pursuing a stunning female (Alice Eve). The plot is paired with a script that stretches every joke and innuendo too far to be funny.
Viewers may not know whether to laugh at or pity Kirk. Baruchel makes it clear he’s comfortable playing a lovable loser and has garnered the support of jittery virgins nationwide.
It’s impossible not to swoon over Eve’s character, Molly. From her first high-heeled step, it’s clear that she’s not just out of Kirk’s league; she’s out of everyone else’s. She exceeds her co-stars in terms of looks and depth of talent.
Eve and Baruchel create a relationship that switches between tender and embarrassing. But the awkward moments make the audience root for Kirk, so they serve a greater purpose.
More frustrating are the many subplots, such as Kirk’s uneasy relationship with Molly’s parents, that remain unresolved and lend a feeling of incompleteness to the unoriginal plot.
Faulty plot aside, the relationship between Baruchel and Eve is what saves the film, creating a conclusion that proves everyone is a perfect 10 to someone.
“She’s Out of My League” was written by Sean Anders and John Morris and directed by Jim Field Smith.