BASING a whole feature film on a single idea is known in the business as "high concept". Among most cinema audiences, though, it's known as "rubbish".

In & Out is definitely in the rubbish category. Despite some big names, clever moments and a decent soundtrack, it fails to lift itself above the straightforwardness of a half-hour sitcom.

The single idea in question comes straight from Tom Hanks' Oscar acceptance speech. A blubbing Hanks thanked his teacher for the inspiration to play a gay man in the movie Philadelphia.

From there, we have a simple leap of logic.

Kevin Kline is Howard Brackett, a high school English teacher from Greenleaf, Indiana, who is about to be married.

One of his former students, Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon) has become a massive film star, destined to win an Oscar.

As he accepts the famous statuette, Drake thanks his teacher and reveals to the world that his former guru is gay.

Oh, ha ha.

The hometown neighbours are all watching the show, hear the revelation and all hell breaks loose.

From there, the rest of the comedy runs along turgidly familiar and uneasily stereotypical lines (if you like Barbra Streisand records you are gay, if you like to dance you are gay, if you teach drama class you are gay) leaving no clich unturned.

Tom Selleck turns up as a showbiz reporter desperate to get a scoop. He also happens to be homosexual.

Hence the biggest moment of the movie, and the one I suspect the film will be feebly sold upon: Selleck and Kline kiss.

Perhaps for inhabitants of outer Mongolia, seeing two male actors kiss on a screen will be either shocking, hilarious or intriguing. Back in reality, however, it is nothing to write home about.

And neither is this film. The flashes of good comedy come very early on. An excellent pastiche of an Oscar ceremony is brilliantly done, particularly when we see snatches of Drake's award-winning performance.

Some small-town reaction to a man being gay is also amusing, but the rest of the comedy limps along like a wounded soldier.

Even without the unimaginative stereotypes and flat-footed humour, this is a bad film. With those ingredients thrown on top, it is positively awful.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.