She's Out of My League

Geek falls for goddess in this opposites-attract US comedy. Kirk (Jay Baruchel, pictured below) works in airport security and dreams of being a pilot. He also dreams of dating a girl like Molly (Alice Eve, pictured below), who conveniently leaves her mobile at the airport. Returning it to sender, Kirk is stunned to be invited out and struggles to believe that Molly could possibly be interested in him over a series of mishap-riddled dates. Predictably, said mishaps include crude, gross-out comedy gags aimed squarely at 12-year-old lads. Less predictably, this has a decent stab at exploring the psychology of physically mismatched relationships. After a series of hunks, Molly is experimenting with inner beauty, while Kirk is plagued by low self-esteem after being dumped by his controlling ex.

Both leads have charm – Londoner Eve (daughter of Trevor, who has a cameo) easily passes for a glamorous American while Baruchel mixes the beguiling delivery of a young Christian Slater with an awkward gait and a hangdog expression. He’s nowhere near plain enough, but those who’ve seen the similarly themed but visually unappealing ‘I Love You Beth Cooper’ will treat that as a blessing.

It’s funny in parts: Kirk’s brash, socially inept pal Stainer (TJ Miller) amuses and Molly’s bitchy best friend Pattie (Krysten Ritter) is great, while far prettier than anyone gives her credit for. Other supporting characters – including Kirk’s idiotic family – fall flat and fail to ring true. ‘She’s Out of My League’ is uneven and frequently juvenile. But, like its hero, it has hidden depths – it’s just a shame they’re not allowed to shine.