The Stag

Theatre set designer Fionnan (Hugh O’Conor) is engaged to Ruth (Amy Huberman), but being a progressive Irish guy in touch with his feminine side (he’s enthusiastic about flowers) he doesn’t want a stag do. After some wheedling from his best man Davin (Andrew Scott), he’s persuaded to embark on a walking weekend in the Irish countryside. At which point the future bride-to-be’s brother, The Machine (Peter McDonald), gatecrashes the party. Tall, rugged and a bit unhinged, The Machine strides into their lives like a Viking Jason Statham: while the rest of the group marches along talking about Vespas, HBO and risotto, he operates on a level of perpetual hyper-virility. Is there a chance everyone will learn from each other? ‘The Stag’ is formulaic and schmaltzy, and its endless ‘gay’ jokes jar with its warm-hearted message – but it coasts along on an undeniable likeability.