She's Out of My League: Review

Let me start off by saying that DreamWorks latest film She's Out of My League is the romantic comedy of 2010. Directed by British funny-man Jim Field Smith and starring the ever hilarious (and Ottawa born) Jay Baruchel and the most beautiful Alice Eve and Krysten Ritter She's Out of My League provides audiences with an hour and forty minutes of feel-good laughs.  The story is simple, Kirk (played by Jay Baruchel), lives a simple life with his family, working for the TSA and trying to win back his ex-girlfriend Marnie. He is a self-acclaimed '5 out of 10'; but when Molly (Alive Eve), 'a hard 10' enters his life and starts to show interest in Kirk his world is turned upside down... why would a 10 go for a 5? He starts to ask himself why a girl who could be with any man she wanted would choose to be with him, an out-of-shape, scrawny, slightly-un-attractive guy who is stuck in a dead end job.

The film of course tries to mix in many messages; whether it be about achieving part of the American Dream (the trophy wife) or realizing that a rating system like the one in the film is ill-prepped because 'everyone is a 10 to the person who loves them; and that you're only a 5 if you think you're a 5.' (a paraphrased conversation from the film.) But in all honesty - we're not watching this movie for moral messages; we're watching this movie because it was marketed towards us as a raunchy comedy... especially since it was penned by Sean Anders and John Morris (penners of: Sex Drive & upcoming raunch-comedy Hot Tub Time Machine) but it really isn't. The trailers are quite deceiving because the movie is truly a sweet romantic-comedy... most of the laughs brought forth by a minor character, Devon (played by Nate Torrence.)

Talking about characters, the film was well cast. Jay Baruchel plays the perfect Kirk as Alive Eve plays the perfect Molly. The supporting cast; led by Krysten Ritter, Nate Torrence, and T.J. Miller; helped provide the laughs along the way as the audience engages themselves in the romantic lives of Molly and Kirk. The laughs them self are hardly original; yet one doesn't care as Smith finds a way to take an unoriginal comic scene and make it original.  For example we've all seen the scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, where the guy has his 'explosion' a little too early... a very American Pie-esque gag... well; a scene like that appears in She's Out of My League - only to add an extra giggle when Molly's parents show up right after Kirk has his little accident.  Or another example: we've all seen the American Wedding shaving scene... well She's Out of My League takes the shaving scene and adds an extra person... which makes it even more funny than the first time you've seen it.

Sure the gags are hardly original; but they're still funny and with Nate Torrence's hilarious G-rated Disneyesque antics in this R-rated film there are conversations in the scene that you just want to replay over and over again... there are times in the film that you also find yourself wanting to sing along with Hall & Oates. (I'm serious... I've still got Kiss on My List stuck in my head.) You may also never look at dogs the same way again after this film... but it's worth it.

Is there anything wrong with the film? Well obviously the film isn't perfect... I've said before the gags are far from original and you can always tell how romantic-comedies end (far from actual reality). And there are even slight continuity errors within the acting that I noticed upon a second viewing of the film - yet it all seems forgivable once you actually sit through this film.  It will never be on a 'Must See' movie list - but it does deserve to be seen because out of two screenings that held a total of 575 people there was not a single negative comment upon the end of the film.  The majority of the comments included: 'this was a lot better than I thought it was going to be...' and in complete honesty that's how I felt too.

Give She's Out of My League a shot.  You won't regret it.  And surprise. You just might laugh. (Also - it's a great date movie... so take your 10 out to this film!)

3.5 out of 5 stars

Valentine's Day: Review

I have to start off by saying that celebrities must love to work with Garry Marshall. If he says: ‘let’s make a movie’ almost anyone and everyone who is anyone in Hollywood is willing to give Marshall a few days and a stellar performance. I didn’t know what to expect heading into this film… so much of me hoped that it would be a horrible flop that was obviously made as a Valentine’s Day money-grab so I could rip it and every single celebrity involved in this project apart… unfortunately I can’t do that. If this movie had been directed by anyone else it would have been a complete failure; but Garry Marshall took what could have potentially been another disastrous rom-com and turned it into what could potentially become an instant classic; just like his former glory Pretty Woman.

Warner Brother’s film Valentine’s Day delivers much more than I imagined it would. Literally packed with a cast of A-list actors that include Jessica Alba, Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway and some B-list act0rs that include George Lopez, Topher Grace, Queen Latifah, Kathy Bates, amongst many others, we see a series of vignette-like stories that all connect together in the end unfold gracefully and almost flawlessly. While the acting was superb the only criticism that I can think of involved that of the two Taylor’s (Swift and Lautner). While added to definitely seduce the younger teenage girls into coming out to see the film Taylor Swift’s acting is hollow and two-dimensional making me want to beg her to stick to music and leave Hollywood to the actors… as for Taylor Lautner - well; we all know that his best acting gig was that horrible and dreadful night he spent on Saturday Night Live - so while he may be a hot commodity (for taking off his shirt) he should also leave acting to the actors. Despite the Taylor-squared problems with this film the plot actually comes off without a hitch and the rest of the actors are phenomenal. I would have to include that one of the best, and most surprising, performances in this film comes from Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy’s McSteamy) whose character not only provides some great comic moments but also brings about the theme of the movie round-about in the end. There was also a great two second cameo by Joe Mantegna that kicked the film’s laughs into gear and reminded us that Ashton Kutcher, as big of a goofball as he can be, can also play a very sweet and serious lead role. All of the actors brought something unique to their roles that helped provide a connection with the audience; I was particularly impressed by the growth that was seen in Topher Grace as an actor; from Eric Foreman, to a horrible portrayal as Venom, to now, a role that may actually define him as a serious contender in Hollywood as an actor.

This film was definitely held together by it’s stellar cast.

Despite maintaining moments of predictability that follow along a typical romantic-comedy film there are enough twists and turns to keep the audience intrigued and some great laughs along the way. The surprising thing about this film is, despite being able to be considered as a ’sappy’ romantic movie it can also be labelled as a ‘laugh-out-loud’ comedy.

While not the ‘perfect’ movie it definitely comes close; especially for a genre that I don’t care for in particular. This movie may actually be a near-perfect date movie; as it truly does encompass a very wide spread audience and will be enjoyed by all; young, old, male or female.

This movie does right everything that New Line Cinema’s He’s Just Not That Into You did wrong; which is ironic since this film was produced by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.

Definitely worth the viewing. Check it out this weekend… or this Valentine’s Day.

3.5 out of 5 stars