A NOT SO MODEL HOME

A realtor turns reality star in a comedy caper where fans may end up rooting for the killer.

Being called upon to act as on-screen bestie to hair-care mogul Ian Forbes is not exactly in Amanda Thorne’s normal line of work, but now that a hush has fallen over the realty business in Palm Springs, she finds it hard to refuse the carrot of being allowed to sell Ian’s house after filming is over. After all, Ian won’t need it anymore; the title of his reality show, Things Are a Bit Iffy, is meant to remind viewers that he’s trying to find a boyfriend/heir to his massive fortune, since he’s been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and hasn’t long to live. Show creator Jeremy Collins has assembled what must be the most dramatic bunch of queens ever to live under a single roof. They play their reality roles to a T, alternating between vying for Ian’s affections and sleeping with each other, with bitch-slapping thrown in here and there for good measure. The drama is hard to resist for Amanda, much to the chagrin of her real-life best friend and ex-husband, Alex. He’s sure that no good can come of the fight for fame, and he may be proven right when one of the young studs in Ian’s stable is murdered in the midst of filming. Now, Amanda feels obligated to get to the bottom of things, if only because her pseudo-boyfriend and cop, Ken, is away taking care of his ailing mother.

Once again, James (Three Bedrooms, Two Baths, and One Very Dead Corpse, 2010) charms with characters that are bursting with, well, character. Just be aware that this is one title that’s NSFW (Not Safe for Work).