It’s a shame that Andrew Fleming’s “Ideal Home” is so compromised by weak direction and bungled editing because there’s a terrific story to be told here. Co-leads Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan share remarkably vivid chemistry as a bickering long-time couple faced with unexpected parenthood – they’re so effective and believable together, in fact, that they manage to sell an undercooked screenplay and an uneven tone that distracts from the heart of the story. They’re well-matched by young Jack Gore, whose performance carries the weight and gravitas of a more experienced performer. It feels like the movie needed to be ironed out more in order to tighten its narrative arc and explore its themes with more depth, but as it is, its chief assets are its two leading actors, who both elevate the movie above its narrative shortcomings.
Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)
