catholiclefty

Generally I'd find it hard to object to a Paul Rudd-fronted comedy, and indeed Role Models may not make much of a coherent whole but is still entertaining. Set up initially as a 'bloke isn't happy in his dead-end-life' film this takes a number of odd twists via 'people forced into awkward situation', 'people get to like the awkward situation', and end up at 'people decide playing complicated live role-playing games are fun', which is admittedly rather different from the norm if not exactly a classic ending for the ages. There's some attempt at linkage between the start and the end with the concept of 'Minotaur' being a vague bridge, but it is pretty thin, and this is at heart a succession of scenes which try to evoke laughs and mainly succeed without any great messages or themes.

Paul Rudd is one of my favourite comedy actors around, and he doesn't disappoint here. Starting as a sarcastic miserabilist and loosening up somewhat as time progresses, his facial expressions and timing are very well done - not over the top in a Jim Carrey way, but spot on. Elizabeth Banks continues yet again in her attempt to be the Tom Wilkinson of actresses, and while she isn't in much of this and doesn't do all that much when she is around, she's always good to see. (Interestingly, I just found out she has a small role in Catch Me If You Can (my review). I've have to watch that again now. Any old excuse for a decent Amy Adams film....... :-) Seann William Scott was decent but outshone by Paul Rudd. Christopher Mintz-Plasse was ok at some of the sillier stuff but didn't convince in the heavier scenes - fortunately there weren't many, this being a comedy. Bobb'e J. Thompson was alright in a role that didn't need a great deal other than having a foul mouth :-) Jane Lynch benefits from an interestingly-written part that gives her a few places to show off, and her character came across pretty well.

Decently-written and for the most part pretty amusing, this isn't earth-shattering but does what it sets out to do with a reasonable amount of aplomb. 7 out of 10.