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Judy Thorburn's Movie Reviews

She's Out Of My League

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If there is a Judd Apatow school of film making, than Jim Field Smith must be a recent graduate.  She's Out of My League marks Field Smith's debut as a director and the film fits right into the trend of  raunchy Apatow-like sex comedies aimed at teens and mid twenty something audiences who enjoy this kind of humor and can't seem to get enough lewd and moronic on screen behavior.

From the reactions of those in the audience at the premiere screening who were laughing up a storm,   She's Out Of My League fits the bill and will mostly likely make a lot of money at the box office. I, on the other hand, did not find it funny and suffered throughout, waiting patiently for the inevitable conclusion.

She's Out of My League rides on the premise that although beauty may be skin deep, it takes a lot to get past outward appearances to truly form a love relationship. That's human nature and generally tends to be true,  but according to the mindset of the characters in this film, beautiful translates to perfect, which alone is insulting to any logical human being, not that logic has any place here.  

With that in mind, how can a scrawny, unattractive guy who, on his best day, maybe rates a 5, ever have a chance with a blonde beauty who rates a perfect “hard” 10. That's for Kirk (Jay Baruchel of Knocked Up and Tropic Thunder) and super hot Molly (Alice Eve, who looks like a young Christie Brinkley) to find out,  as their relationship blooms.

The story by Sean Anders and John Morris (who co-wrote Sex Drive and the upcoming Hot Tub Time Machine),begins with Kirk wanting to reconcile with his ex girlfriend Marnie (Lindsay Sloane) after two years.  Marnie, on the other hand, wants nothing of it and has moved on to another guy, although she has bonded with Kirk's family who still treats her like one of their own. Then, one day while working at his job as a TSA  agent at Pittsburgh airport, things change for Kirk when Molly passes through, leaving behind her cell phone.  Kirk, of course, finds it and after delivering it in person, is asked out by Molly, the girl of his dreams, a lawyer who gave it up to become a successful party planner with her brassy best friend, Patty (marvelous, scene stealer Krysten Ritter who is wasted here).

Kirk isn't the only one shocked that Molly would be interested in him on a romantic level.  His best friends, Stainer (give a guess how he got that nickname) played by TJ Miller, and Jack (Mike Vogel) don't think he has a chance, except for  overweight, married Devon (Nate Torrence, who looks a bit like Chastity/Chas Bono before and after her/his sex change operation) whose romantic notions come from animated Disney movies.

After being burned by hunky, pilot,  ex boyfriend Cam (Geoffrey Stults)  Molly finds herself falling for the more safe Kirk, who is a refreshing change of pace from failed relationships with other men who only appeared to be her equal.  Conflict is set into motion when Kirk's apparent lack of self esteem and insecurities take hold and threaten to ruin everything.  

Much of the film's low brow humor involves interactions between Kirk, his goofy friends and his suddenly jealous ex girlfriend.  Instead of being genuinely funny, all we get are a continuous assault of embarrassing  situations,  gross, disgusting scenes and extreme vulgarity that are meant to top anything we have ever seen before, as if that is any sort of accomplishment to be proud of. Without getting too graphic, let me add that semen jokes, premature ejaculation, grooming of male private parts, and other lewd scenes are of extremely bad taste, and not something I find amusing. On the contrary, totally revolting is more like it and I couldn't stop myself from groaning. What a shame, because without all that crap, there is the potential for a charming romantic comedy with a positive message.

Whether it appeals to target audiences or not, I can't possibly recommend She's Out of My League.  Stooping that low is out of MY league.

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