The eminently likable Paul Rudd has signed on to play the lead idiot in My Idiot Brother, a new comedy from a team of producers (Anthony Bregman, Peter Saraf, and Marc Turtletaub) whose credits include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Little Miss Sunshine. Jesse Peretz will direct the movie, about an idealist (Rudd) who must deal with his overbearing mother when she crashes at the houses of his three ambitious sisters, and brings “truth, happiness, and a sunny disposition into their lives while also wreaking havoc.”
Peretz’s previous two movies, The Chateau and The Ex were duds – especially the latter, which starred Zach Braff and Jason Bateman, – so I’m a little surprised that Rudd, who has had a hugely successful and high-profile career of late, would sign on to this project. Then again, Rudd himself was hilarious when he worked with Peretz and co-star Romany Malco on the indie comedy The Chateau in 2001. The lead in smaller-budget My Idiot Brother could be a good change of pace for Rudd, who has appeared in seemingly every Judd Apatow or Apatow-inspired big-budget comedy of the last five years. Then again, indie street cred will mean little for Rudd if My Idiot Brother flops as badly as the 2006 The Ex.
Production of My Idiot Brother will begin this July, with a script written by Peretz’s sister, Evgenia Peretz, and David Schisgall.
Rudd is also slated to appear alongside Steve Carrell in Jay Roach’s comedy Dinner for Schmucks, which opens this July, and opposite Reese Witherspoon in James Brooks’ How Do You Know this December.
Source: THR
