Upstream: Five Paul Rudd movies to stream right now

THE new Marvel sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp is a winner, and so too is its underrated leading man Paul Rudd. Here are five more ways to stream Rudd at his ever-reliable best.

THE new Marvel sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp is a winner, and so too is its underrated leading man Paul Rudd. Here are five more ways to stream Rudd at his ever-reliable best.

OUR IDIOT BROTHER (2011) ***1/2

Stan

Don’t be put off by the unpromising title. This is no mere throwaway comedy by any stretch. Rudd stars as Ned, a homeless hippie drifter passed around his family while he tries to figure out why life has passed him by.

Though there are pockets of addled absurdity that bring to mind a Dumb & Dumber for hipsters, there is real soul and warmth to be found in Ned’s odyssey. Co-stars Zooey Deschanel, Steve Coogan.

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Paul Rudd and Zooey Deschanel in Our Idiot Brother.

THIS IS 40 (2012) ***

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A catchy combo of caustic comedy and domestic crises from filmmaker Judd Apatow (Knocked Up). Rudd and Leslie Mann play a married couple whose well-worn union is hitting the skids just as both are hitting the big four-oh.

The film goes through spells where it pleases, others where it plods. The ‘dirtier’ sections are actually where it functions most cleanly and efficiently.

Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in a scene from film This is 40.

ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004) ****1/2

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Will Ferrell is superb as Ron Burgundy, an egocentric legend of TV’s nightly news who could only have existed in the 1970s.

A stridently silly comedy that regularly goes off-topic for some brilliantly bonkers sequences — including a very funny street fight between rival newshounds. Rudd is terrific in a supporting role as Brian Fantana, the goodtime guy in Ron’s bizarro entourage.

Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell, David Koechner and Steve Carell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (1999) ***1/2

Stan

While Rudd has rarely delved into the sincerely dramatic, he acquits himself well in a key role in this unorthodox weepie. His effort as a doomed soldier complements some fine acting by Michael Caine and Tobey Maguire. Both find real sympathy and warmth in their respective roles as a clandestine abortionist and his unwilling apprentice. Co-stars Charlize Theron.

I LOVE YOU, MAN (2009) **1/2

Foxtel Now

Incredibly, the original Ant-Man is currently unavailable to stream, so this so-so bro-mantic comedy makes the cut here, but only just.

Rudd plays Peter, a property broker who realises on the eve of his wedding there is no one in his life worthy of being his best man. Though the jokes can be hit-or-miss, the film does blunder along in a genial enough fashion, largely thanks to co-star Jason Segel.

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Originally published as Upstream: Five Paul Rudd movies to stream right now