She's Out of My League

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence
Directed by: Jim Field Smith
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Romance
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An ordinary guy (Jay Baruchel) is shocked when a beautiful girl (Alice Eve) pursues him. After they start dating, they face the incredulous shock of their friends and family.

Review:

Tim: There is almost nothing about this movie that appealed to me from the outset. It just looked silly and redundant, and I couldn't get myself too excited about it at all. However, despite my obvious prejudice, this movie won me over. This isn't one of those can't-stop-talking-about-it comedies, but it does enough right that I changed my mind about it. She's Out of My League has what few comedies do- heart. This is a genuine, entertaining, funny movie about something that is real. We all know those couples who we just can't see why they are together. This film tells a funny story about that, and I think that is why it works. It is not trying to create an outlandish, impossible idea. While parts of it are definitely not normal, this is rooted in very human, everyday things.

The premise of this story- like most stories- is pretty simple. A hot girl goes for an average guy, and people around them can't understand why. While the premise is simple, the movie expands on this idea. How does this happen? What do those around them think of it? I found myself genuinely interested in the story and the characters, and I wanted to find out how it would all turn out.

The cast is fairly good. Jay Baruchel is a guy who at first glance, I don't necessarily like. There is something about seeing Baruchel in a movie that makes me roll my eyes. However, once the movie starts, I find myself enjoying him. He certainly has an everyman quality about him, and he is charismatic in a geeky way. He is almost a bit pathetic, but it makes you root for him. Baruchel was the right guy for this role.

I also thought Alice Eve did a good job. She definitely looks the part, but also has enough intelligence to not come across as a stupid person. I was unfamiliar with her before, but I admit I was impressed with her, and look forward to seeing her career develop. She works well with Baruchel, and despite the craziness of it, I believed that she could actually care about him.

I was also impressed with T.J. Miller. He did a good job in Cloverfield, but he really was able to showcase his comedic talent here. His timing is superb, and he had some of the funniest lines of the film. I thought he did a very good job. Mike Vogel was underutilized in this movie, but he works well during his few big moments.

She's Out of My League was surprisingly funny. It looked like a stupid comedy, so I was unprepared for some of the strong laughs it created. I found myself enjoying the film and laughing quite a bit. Even better, it wasn't those types of laughs that make you feel cheap for succumbing to it- these were the result of strong writing and good acting. That is what makes this movie enjoyable.

Now, this is not to say this is a superb movie. It suffers from many of the same old cliches, and is more than a bit predictable. The end felt forced and not as original as much of the rest of the movie. There were a few moments here that felt out of place and didn't work as well.

Still, despite some flaws, She's Out of My League proved to be better than I expected. Rather than groaning my way through it, I actually enjoyed myself. Yes, the movie could have been better, but it delivered in unexpected ways.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: I'm Reed Fish, Cloverfield, I Love You, Man