Mainstream wannabe

Paul Rudd film relegates itself to raunch ghetto | Megan Basham

Universal Pictures

If talent, good looks, and comedic timing were all that it took to rise to the top in Hollywood, Paul Rudd would be a much bigger star. His way with a one-liner makes him every bit as funny as Ben Stiller or Jack Black. And his everyman charm makes him come off like an edgier, more sarcastic version of Tom Hanks. So why isn't Rudd a household name? His latest production, Role Models, provides a pretty good explanation.

Certainly Role Models has its funny moments, almost all of which are attributable to Rudd. But like nearly every comedy he has starred in, from The 40-Year-Old Virgin to Knocked Up, his latest places a heavy premium on R-rated material. As a result, a premise that could be mainstream—an unhappy slacker gets a new lease on life after being sentenced to participate in a Big Brother program—is instead relegated to the raunch ghetto.