Andrea Dorfman's Love that Boy is a quirky romantic comedy about first love.

Phoebe (Nadia Litz) is an overachieving Halifax university student who's determined to be a Renaissance woman. She has made a list of dozens of things she must accomplish before she graduates.

Phoebe's frustrated roommate Robin (Nikki Barnett) points out, the list is missing a boyfriend. So, Phoebe sets out to have a relationship, but her fellow- overachievers either turn her off or are turned off by her.

Much to her eventual dismay, Phoebe finds herself falling in love with Frazer (Adrien Dixon) the 14-year-old boy, who mows lawns in the neighbourhood.

Love that Boy is no male version of Lolita.

Instead, Dorfman explores the pangs and confusion of young love. The writer-director has a playful hand as she finds far more humour than pathos in the predicament of her mismatched lovers.

The performances from Litz and Dixon make this all seem harmless and natural, so the audience isn't nearly as shocked by what develops between them as Phoebe's classmates.

Love that Boy is a little gem of a film that never makes fun of its characters even though it certainly has a great deal of fun with them.

(This film is rated PG)

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