In the tradition of The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up comes She’s Out of My League, yet another comedy that features an average Joe who somehow ends up in a relationship with a woman who’s more intelligent and attractive than he is. As directed by first-timer Jim Field Smith, the latest entry in this sub-genre hardly brings anything new to the table, yet it does prove to be an entertaining and surprisingly romantic piece of fluff that gets by on its sweetness and the charm of its two leads.

Kirk (Jay Baruchel) longs to be a pilot, but he’s stuck working security at the Pittsburgh airport. One day Molly (Alice Eve), a beautiful event planner, leaves her phone at his post and, Good Samaritan that he is, our hero returns it and gets invited to a party for his trouble. While there, Kirk immediately falls under Molly’s spell. After going on a couple plutonic dates with her, he’s fallen for her hard. Imagine his surprise when Molly reveals she harbors romantic intentions for him as well.

The film moves along at a nice pace with the romance punctuated by scenes in which Kirk’s friends (T.J. Miller, Nate Torrence and Mike Vogel) go out of their way to remind him that he’s simply not good enough for Eve. With his gangly frame and hangdog look, Baruchel has been able to elicit our sympathies since appearing in Million Dollar Baby. He brings an instant likeability to Kirk that puts us firmly in his corner from the start. Equally appealing is Eve, who has a sense of spunk and confidence without coming off as self-absorbed. Not only do we want these two to be together but we also believe that they could be. Though it resorts to a standard chase through an airport during its third act, League ends up being far more enjoyable and emotionally engaging than you might expect. It is this spring’s sleeper.

Contact Chuck Koplinski at [email protected].