Category: Romantic Comedy
What drove me to watch this, I'm not sure. I had dismissed this as another run-of-the-mill romantic comedy with all the standard elements of the tried and tested formula. Disappointed too many times recently with romantic comedies that promised everything but either delivered weak performances or unbelievable stories, my hopes were not high. But it came up and I went and did not walk out disappointed.
This movie is refreshing amongst the gross-out comedies, sappy-angst vampire movies and computer effects laden mish-mash that is presented as movies. Although it treads a path well-trodden and tries to be funny by detour through gross-out-land, in the end it is a movie with heart and a beautiful story to boot.
Kirk and his friends work at the airport in Pittsburgh. He ends up dating Molly, a beautiful blonde he helps with a lost phone. Basically, that is the movie. Although Molly asks out and starts dating Kirk in the hope that he is a safe date and won't hurt her, she later sees in Kirk someone who is sweet, shares in her interests and can make her laugh. It's the starting point in a lot of relationships. Kirk can't figure out why she is giving him the time of day but considers himself lucky and goes along on the ride. The story swings between Kirk's insecurities and Molly's insecurities and their trials of couple-hood. Their problems are so believable, some of the grins of the people watching are from recognizing the problems Kirk and Molly are going through rather than finding the problems funny. While there are big moments in the relationship when it lurches forward or backwards, it is in the small, quite moments they share that you get a sense that what they are going through is real. This is where the story is beautiful.
What makes the film funny are the plots involving their friends and family. Both of them share a common problem in that they both have issues with their families. They support each other in their relationship with each other's families. Molly tolerates Kirk's bizzare family, while Kirk helps Molly get closer to hers. And both realize how important family is to each other as their relationship develops and the relationship with their families change. 
Both Kirk and Molly get support from their friends but the movie gives more focus on Kirk's merry band of brothers, each with their own distinct, interesting personalities. Stainer is Kirk's best friend from childhood while Jack and Devon joined them throughout the years. And like all real friends, they mess with each other's lives, even the parts that they don't share. The other 'relationship' to this movie is Stainer and Patty, both of whom do not advocate their friends relationship. Although they hate each other, both do it because they truly care about their friend. Tina and Katie, Molly's sister, make up the rest of Molly's friends. Ultimately, it is these friendships that factor most to Molly and Kirk. They are better because of these friendship and not in spite of them. They see in Molly and Kirk something good happening even though the obvious physical difference between both. Isn't that a sign of a real relationship, to feel secure enough to show one's insecurities, safe in the knowledge the other person will accept you regardless. And that is there the movie has heart. If you haven't seen it, you should
.Another star of the movie is the City of Pittsburgh. My Significant Other is from Pittsburgh and was excited at all the familiar places and streets. Even the airport was the real Pittsburgh airport. I was just thankful the movie wasn't set in New York or Los Angeles. It was nice that they filmed almost everything on-site in Pittsburgh. I've stopped looking for signs of "shooting Toronto as New York" or "shooting Vancouver as EveryOtherPlace" a long time ago. It's too depressing. So to have a movie set in a city and actually shot in that city featuring sites unique to the city is really exciting to me (to fully understand this, try watching Buffalo '66
. I can vouch that winter in Buffalo is actually that depressing).DVD has a director's commentary which is quite interesting. Just to know which shots were actually of the actors as themselves in costume (as opposed to in character) is worth the price of admission. Having said that, this movie should've had an actors commentary too, esp with Jay, TJ, Nate and Mike. And Alice, if she wanted in. In general, great acting from all. The outtakes showed each actors ability in pushing their characters just a bit further and the directors willingness to let them riff. Worth keeping if you like romantic comedies.
Since the movie didn't have a soundtrack or not that I could find it, here are some of the songs or artists that were features. Pity though, great songs and themes that went great with each scene. Watch She's Out of My League
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