Ideal Home Review

I'm here to today to talk about a Paul Rudd movie but not the one you're thinking of because that movie doesn't need any help. The one I am talking about is Ideal Home starring Steve Coogan and Paul Rudd who is sporting what I must say is a very sexy beard.

Coogan and Rudd play Erasmus Brumble and his partner in life and career, Paul. If you know much about Steve Coogan, I should not have to point out that he carries the absurdly delightful Harry Potter-esque name. He is a celebrity chef and cookbook author while Paul produces his popular Tex-Mex show called Ideal Home. If being sarcastic and snarky are high on your list of relationship goals, you will find Erasmus and Paul quite familiar. Most of the bickering originates with he fact that Erasmus is a convoluted bundle of bravado, rampant insecurities and childish behavior. There's some real affection underneath though and good night of partying with friends seems to soothe out the edges. Their antics could be fun to watch for a while but this is a movie; so some conflict is needed.

One evening while Erasmus is assailing his guests with foodie snob stories, a young kid shows up with a letter explaining he is Erasmus' grandson and he needs someone to take care of him for a while. It turns out Erasmus experimented a bit in the 80's and this resulted in a son who has not exactly gone far from the tree. He's constantly in trouble with the law and in some last minute desperation has sent his son, Bill (Jack Gore), to stay with Erasmus. So here we are with two adult male children taking care of a real adolescent who has an attitude and refuses to eat anything but Taco Bell.

Ideal Home really works for me mostly because of Coogan and Rudd. They play well off of each other and the chemistry (funny or explosive) is a lot of fun. I have always especially loved Steve Coogan. He's played this type of part a couple of times, most successfully for me in Hamlet 2. if you've seen that movie and loved it (don't even talk to me if you didn't) then you will instantly know what I am talking about. He goes all in physically and emotionally as a person just slightly divorced from the reality the rest of us live in. For a real person that can be really annoying but for onscreen laughs it is comic gold. There is some late plotting that explores all the ways that Erasmus' and Paul's relationship is not working and that sucks some air out of the fun balloon. However it's ok because they recover and tug at the heartstrings while supplying the LOLZ.

Everything is ok but not perfect in the end and you are left with a nice but not heavy handed message about the diversity of families. If that is ok with you then I say check out this B+ movie. If it's not then you probably aren't reading this and don't care about my opinion anyway. Ideal Home is in limited theatrical release but available to rent on iTunes and Amazon video.