Ideal Home

Ideal Home

As you can imagine, Steve Coogan chews up every scene he is in, and of course, he’s utterly hilarious as Erasmus, the flamboyant TV chef who hosts the popular cooking show, Ideal Home.

Paul (Paul Rudd) is the show’s producer and Erasmus’ long suffering yet hopelessly loving partner. Erasmus’ undisclosed past comes back to bite him when the couple unwittingly become guardians of the grandson Paul never knew Erasmus had. Bill (Jack Gore), the grandson, is 10, bitter, insular and unresponsive to most of the efforts of his gay custodians, and Paul is unenthused about this new responsibility. That should be the basis of the tension and drama of the film and there are a few tender moments, but it mostly defers to the comic antics of Coogan.

The character and plot developments feel constructed rather than organic. It’s a shame because there was potential to say so much in this film. However, if you’re just after 90 odd minutes of jalapeño hilarity with a side serving of treacle, this is your film.

★★★

Reviewed by Rita Bratovich.

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