I Can't Think Straight

‘I Can’t Think Straight’ is that rare beast: a British lesbian rom-com. With theatrical distribution. Featuring two beautiful lead actresses. And a happy ending. What’s the catch? This multi-cultural family saga is a hoot, but perhaps not in the way writer-director Shamim Sarif intended. From the wince-inducing title onwards, the script is laughably bad, especially when it attempts seriousness – apropos of nothing, one character at the dinner table suddenly starts talking about the political situation in the Middle East. Its attempts at comedy become parody – Nina Wadia’s nosey Indian housekeeper could be one of her ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ creations – and the central romance is dead in the water because these girls are utterly unconvincing as lesbians. Yet while ‘The World Unseen’, by the same director and also released this week, is the better film, ‘I Can’t Think Straight’ does have crowd-pleasing potential, in a ‘Coyote Ugly’, so-bad-it’s-good way.