SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE (B)
I am a firm believer that while watching any movie, you have to take what you are watching for what it is. Before seeing She's Out of My League I wasn't expecting Best Picture consideration or Oscar worthy performances. I was expecting to laugh a little bit and maybe enjoy the story along the way. Well, this film did more than just that with a decent script, strong cast, and flawlessly executed production.
The film follows Kirk (Jay Baruchel), a slacking security employee working with all his buddies at Pittsburgh's airport. While working one day, a woman (Alice Eve) the security personnel can only describe as perfect comes rolling through the airport turning the heads of every bystander she passes. In her haste to make her flight, she forgets her phone at the security check in. Kirk finds the phone, and catches this unreal beauty's attention with his kindness to return it. Things evolve from there as you can guess from the title of this movie.
As I stated in the opening paragraph, this movie is not to be taken seriously or out of the context of a raunchy comedic love story. It is not as love filled as a romantic comedy, but more like a comedy with romance. Similar to Knocked Up, but not as well written. With that in mind, I believe that is why I enjoyed this movie so much. When ridiculous things were happening far away from the realm of believability, I didn't have a problem appreciating it or laughing because the film establishes early the nature of this sometimes obscene project.
Early on the script shows this film is not necessarily supposed to be taken for reality. Each character is a personification of an extreme stereotype in culture. The perfect 10, or Molly as she is known, has a best friend Patty who is the extreme representation of the bitchy best friend. Kirk also has a brother Dylan who is so far down the river as the moronic-jerk of a sibling, the things that come out of his mouth will often shock you. Each supporting cast member is an exaggeration of a stereotypical character.
The only two normal characters in this movie are the two leads Molly and Kirk. The script does a wonderful job of displaying their seemingly normal behavior next to the outlandish actions of all the supporting cast. These two reasonable characters ground the audience in the only reality that is being presented, even though it is a love story between a "5" and a "10" (the film describes the full details of this hotness rating system).
The production in this movie in my mind was almost flawless. Not like it would catch any attention from an award stand point, but enough to catch my adoration. The director Jim Field Smith did an excellent job creating visuals that told the story in an exciting and narrative way. The exceptional editing and scene transitions were another thing that helped the story progress in an interpretive manner. The soundtrack was placed at perfect times to set the mood or to have the lyrics describe the action on screen.
Overall, this movie is one you have to appreciate for what it is, a raunchy comedy mixed with a cliché love story. The characters are over the top, the story is almost too good to be true at times, some situations in the movie are beyond the description of awkward; but the movie is rarely short of enjoyable. The two leads Kirk and Molly have decent chemistry as an uncommon couple. She's Out of Your League featured many hilarious moments that had me coursing with laughter. One of my favorite parts involved a basement hockey shoot out between Kirk and his brother Dylan called Slapshot Regatta. This scene almost had me dying with amusement.
Take this movie for what is worth, and you will not have a hard time enjoying what you are presented. If you are looking for something more serious or not in a mood for some lewd comedy, skip it.
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