WHAT AN IDIOT (Peter Benson). 103 minutes. Opens Friday (February 5). See listing. Rating: NN
What An Idiot is a romantic comedy for people who use the term “fag hag” unironically. If that doesn’t sound like a terrible idea, read on.
Produced, written and directed by stars Peter and Julia Benson, a real-life couple, it’s the story of Nick, a miserably single Vancouver guy who makes an ill-considered pass at his new boss Jackie. To save face, he tells her he’s gay – and she becomes his new best friend, forcing him to continue the lie while secretly falling for her. What an idiot, right?
The film’s ungainly title seems to be an attempt to let us know the movie doesn’t think Nick’s idea is all that smart, but that doesn’t really come across in the way the Bensons tell the story.
They just want to showcase their charming screen chemistry, which really pops in the film’s midsection, where Jackie and Nick spend a lot of time just hanging out and talking. But then she starts encouraging our hapless hero to go on dates (with men! Yikes!) and we’re reminded how dumb the plot needs these characters – and its audience – to be. And that’s just no fun at all.
