Friday, March 12, 2010

Even the Losers Get Lucky Sometime


"Out of My League" More Romance than Raunch


How many times have I thought, “She’s Out of My League?”

More than I care to admit.

So I went into this loser’s rom-com with a positive attitude. If Jay Baruchels’ Kirk can get lucky, anybody can.

Jay Baruchel is a lovable schlub, with putty facial features, prominent nose and scrawny body.

Kirk has a thankless job as a TSA agent at Pittsburgh International Export. He is harassed by his buddies Stainer (T.J. Miller), Jack (Mike Vogel) and Devon (Nate Torrence) because of his futile pursuit of Marine (Lindsay Sloane), who is clearly out of his league.

Then Kirk meets Molly (Alice Eve), a sexy event planner who is not just out of his league, but out of his universe.

When Kirk sees another security agent giving Molly a hard time, he steps in and does a Sir Galahad.

This impresses Molly so much she asks Kirk out for a date. As it so happens Molly is vulnerable because of a thoughtless, vain boyfriend.

OK, this is a fantasy, but in the real world, every once in awhile a really hot woman falls for a geeky guy. I know for a fact that the late Don Knotts often scored out of his league, because I am acquainted with the woman who was his last wife.

Sometimes a combination of humor, intelligence and sheer bravado can even the playing ground for a less-than-imposing guy.

Kirk is one such guy. However, one’s best friends can become worst enemies intentionally or unintentionally simply because they cannot believe such a lopsided relationship is possible. It is because underneath the most beautiful facade, there is a real human being with wants and needs like anyone else.

“Out of My League” is R-rated because of a lot of raunchy locker room top, partial nudity, and one scene in particular that pays homage to the most famous punchline in “There’s Something About Mary.”
“Out of My League” is not nearly as clever or funny as that Farrally brothers’1998 comedy classic, but it is serviceable as a comedy and has a sweet heart as an unlikely romance.

Most of all it offers hope to the underdogs of the world.

Nerds unite! You have nothing to lose but your insecurity.

Two and a half stars

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