In & Out

Despite a sure-fire premise--a gay man (Kevin Kline) is outed by a former student (Matt Dillon) during an Oscar acceptance speech, on the eve of his wedding to a highly insecure woman (Joan Cusack)--Frank Oz's latest comic hit is disappointingly Hit & Miss. Screenwriter Paul Rudnick, who also writes the priceless "Libby Gelman-Waxner" column in Premiere magazine, is a very funny guy, but he's also surprisingly eager to play ball with studio executives concerned about family values; I never thought I'd see a film written by a gay man in which being gay is depicted as an offbeat lifestyle choice involving a desire to boogie to disco music and a keen eye for interior design, rather than as an intrinsic nature involving sexual attraction to other men. The actors, Kline in particular, do excellent work, but this is safe, sitcom-level comedy that takes no risks and consequently hits few giddy heights. Optional. (M. D'Angelo)