Certain films don’t make for good dates. She’s Out of My League is one of those movies that may appear ‘sweet’ but beware, like appearances, trailers can be deceiving.

Film, like all the arts, is not always about lofty philosophical ideas or holding up a mirror to life and whatnot – Hollywood is proof of that. Even a so-called ‘film snob’ like me sometimes just wants to be entertained, to experience that pure escapism when no thought is required but the brain is stimulated enough not to doze off or to wish the time away.

It’s hard to imagine anyone watching She’s Out of My League without doing the latter though. The film, directed by Jim Field Smith (who hasn’t done anything noteworthy in his showbiz career thus far), is classified as a romantic comedy. However, it’s neither funny nor romantic. I have to wonder whether the critic from Rolling Stone magazine, who called it “A Date Movie Must”, has ever been on a date.

The writers seem to have had a type of male version of the Cinderella story in mind. Kirk (Jay Baruchel) is an average Joe with a dead-end job, no abs and absolutely no prospect of romance. This, according to one of Kirk’s friends, makes him a five (out of ten). As the gods of love (or Tinseltown) would have it a beautiful, busty blonde called Molly (Alive Eve) stumbles across Kirk’s path and it's love at first sight. The problem is that Molly is a ten and according to "the rules" you cannot jump more than two points above your own rating, putting Molly way out of Kirk’s league.

Despite the odds, Kirk asks Molly on a date and she says yes. But he soon starts doubting himself and pre-emptively breaks up with her, wondering what a girl like her could see in a guy like him. Of course, as soon as Kirk leaves Molly, he has an epiphany and realises that looks (or money and A-list jobs) don’t matter and that his personality makes him a ten after all. The writers probably intended this to be inspirational, or endearing at the very least, but the lacklustre humour makes it impossible. The endless crude jokes that might have been original in American Pie are simply tired and overworked.

Perhaps the film would have worked better if it was touted as a kind of ‘bro’-movie, but many men will likely find the overtly sexual jokes in a film that is decidedly un-spicy, dissatisfying. For the desperate and dateless only.

Rating: 1 out of 5
Director: Jim Field Smith
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, TJ Miller, Mike Vogel, Lindsay Sloane
Release date: 25 June

About the author: Andrea has always had an insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge. She obtained her Journalism degree at the University of Pretoria and subsequently also completed her honours degree in Visual Studies at UP. She is currently working as a freelance film reviewer and radio news reader. She has a weakness for film and (good) television, and regularly writes reviews for Artslink.co.za and her blog, http://rantandravereviews.blogspot.com. She is also on Twitter under www.twitter.com/andyrantandrave

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