If you recognize his face, it’s probably because 20ish actor Jay Baruchel has been a peripheral member of the ensemble that populates a lot of Judd Apatow projects. She’s Out of My League has no connection to Aptow but is clearly going for his audience with its mix of sweet-natured characters and raunchy comedy. Baruchel plays Kirk, a non-college grad whose life and social circle revolve around his nowhere job as a security worker at the Pittsburgh airport. Still mooning over the ex who left him two years ago, he nonetheless makes an impression on Molly (Alice Eve), an attractive and successful girl who repays a favor with a party invitation. He is surprised when what he assumes to be a platonic friendship blossoms into a romance, though not so surprised as his family and friends, all of whom are adamant that a “five” like him has no business with a “hard 10” like her. Debuting director Jim Field Smith borrows as much from Apatow as from 1986’s About Last Night, particularly its depiction of friends as more destructive than supportive and its upscale urban locations. (The Pittsburgh chamber of commerce will be very happy with this movie.) Baruchel has a self-deprecating but witty charm, but what makes the film click is Eve, who manages to make her dream girl genuinely likeable and sympathetic. She’s Out of My League is less comfortable when it tries to go for the American Pie market, with too much jarring profanity and unbelievable behavior. (Or is it common for young straight men to help each other shave their private areas these days?) Maybe this stuff was added to try to boost the film’s commercial chances (it has a copyright date of 2008, so post-production tinkering seems probable), but if so the only result will be to leave two different kinds of audiences somewhat unsatisfied.

—m. faust

Watch the trailer for She's Out of My League