Jim Field Smith’s effervescent romantic comedy centres on a lovable airport security guard, whose low self-esteem almost wrecks the best relationship he might ever have.

We’ve all done it – extinguished the embers of potential romance before they have even smouldered because the girl or guy we like is simply too good looking, funny or smart to be interested.

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In She’s Out of My League, Kirk Kettner (Jay Baruchel) is cruelly dumped by his girlfriend Marnie (Lindsay Sloane).

To rub salt into the wounds, his parents (Adam LeFevre, Debra Jo Rupp) have adopted Marnie like a surrogate daughter so she is always around the house with her new boyfriend in tow.

Kirk desperately wants to win her back but best friend Stainer strongly counsels against it, having always loathed Marnie.

Somehow, Kirk ends up on a date with Molly (Alice Eve), a beautiful passenger who passes through his security gate at Pittsburgh airport.

She seems keen, much to the bemusement of Kirk’s jealous buddies, Stainer and Jack (Mike Vogel), who rate their man as a five maybe six on the eligibility scale and Molly a perfect 10.

“If someone really loves you, then you’re a 10,” argues fellow security guard Devon (Nate Torrence), a hopeless romantic who is obsessed with Disney animated films.

Molly’s sardonic friend Patty (Krysten Ritter) also feels that Kirk doesn’t meet the grade and tries to poison Molly’s ear, to no avail.

She’s Out of My League is a predictable yet enjoyable genre piece that relies on our empathy for Baruchel’s nice guy as he wrestles with myriad insecurities and derision from the people who should be bolstering his self-confidence.

His performance anchors the picture and Eve is an adorable object for the protagonist’s affections, proving every bit as vulnerable and insecure as her suitor.

Showing at the Empire and Odeon - film times here