Movie review - "Our Idiot Brother" (2011) ***1/2

The face of new indie cinema, just like The Kids Are Alright - an all-star cast, emphasis on story about family, gay characters, pleasant rather than confronting. This is a reassuring movie but it succeeds because it's based in truth - Paul Rudd is a sweet drop kick, the sort of under achiever everyone knows. He gets out of gaol for selling drugs to a uniformed cop and then accidentally creates havoc by telling too much of the truth - about his brother in law's (Steve Coogan's) infidelity, his tough sister's (Elizabeth Banks') lack of journalistic scruples and feelings for the neighbour (Adam Scott), his bisexual sister's (Zoe Deschanel's) infidelity to her lesbian partner (Rashida Jones). It all works out as nicely as any Hollywood movie.

I thought at first all these names agreed to do it out of their obligation to the cool group but having watched it, I think they were just glad to play a decent role - especially the girls, who are often sidelined into girlfriend parts. I loved the bromance between Rudd and the guy who replaced him with his girlfriend - that "aw gee yeah we could do this" mentality that teenage boys have but most of them grow out of. Very sweet and engaging.