331. Ideal Home; movie review

IDEAL HOME
Cert 15
89 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex references, drug references

Oh, crikey. Steve Coogan and Paul Rudd snogging.
Yep, two actors known to be straight and for their straight roles getting it down in a drama about a gay couple reluctantly taking in a young boy.
Ideal Home's end credits give the impression that the point of the movie was to highlight that gay parents can provide a stable and loving environment.
In 2018, who doubted that? 
However, I am reluctant to believe that any couple outside of Elton John and David Furnish have the sort of lifestyle of Erasmus and Paul, as portrayed by Coogan and Rudd.
Coogan's Erasmus is a very camp and extravagant cookery show host whose thoughtlessness drives his producer boyfriend (Rudd) crazy.
Their already strained relationship becomes even more tense at the sudden appearance of Erasmus's grandchild (Jack Gore) whose feckless father has been arrested.
Never have a couple been less adept at handling a vulnerable child and initially they treat him like a pin-less hand grenade.
However, somehow their entrenched personalities are transformed into loving if clumsy stand-in parents.
Let's be honest - Andrew Fleming's movie is tosh. Its premise is poorly conceived and its casting is just bizarre.
Are Rudd and Coogan, who are usually known for comedy, trying to be funny with their mock indignation at each other?
And why weren't gay actors chosen (there are plenty around) instead of two men who are trying to act gay and end up looking uncomfortable?
Worse still are its resolutions - as if middle-aged people can suddenly change from being self-obsessed child-haters to being kindly surrogate parents.
Oh, and don't get me on the child's exposure to bad language and heavy drinking.

Reasons to watch: If you are a devotee of either Coogan or Rudd
Reasons to avoid: Cliched and annoying characters

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 3.5/10

Director quote - Andrew Fleming:" Essentially, a gay, romantic comedy between two men who are drinking and arguing isn’t necessarily the most commercial venture ever. And, in truth, in the end, it only got made because Steve Coogan and Paul Rudd agreed to do it."

The big question - Couldn't any good gay actors be found?

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