Nate Bargatze has built a reputation for clean, family‑friendly wit, and The Breadwinner aims to translate that persona to a feature. The result is a light, inoffensive comedy that never finds a bold voice or real surprise.
The premise places Bargatze’s Nate in the role of a top‑selling car dealer who must handle two weeks of stay‑at‑home dad duty while his wife travels to oversee a new product launch. Mandy Moore plays Katie, his wife, and the family dynamic sits squarely in familiar territory: three kids, daily chores, and a string of gentle misadventures.
The ensemble includes Kumail Nanjiani as a boastful coworker, Colin Jost as a needy stay‑at‑home dad rival, Will Forte as a clueless roofer, and Kate Berlant in a limited, underutilized part. Their talents are often underused in service of a predictably bland script.
Certain set pieces lean on sitcom tropes rather than fresh ideas. A Shark Tank–style pitch sequence is crowded with cameos, but it lands as a disposable aside rather than a crowd‑pleaser.
The film nods to John Hughes‑style family comedy, but it never earns its warmth or humor. A goofy centerpiece—a purportedly undead horse rampaging through a house—lands as a flat punchline, and an air‑horn gag keeps the energy low rather than zipping the room awake.
Overall, The Breadwinner aims for breezy, family‑oriented humor and mostly achieves a safe, uneventful ride. Bargatze’s signature deadpan works best on stage, and onscreen it reads as a gentle, sometimes coma‑like delivery that won’t offend but also won’t surprise.
Release details: The movie runs 1 hour 35 minutes, is rated PG, and hits theaters Friday, May 29.
Full credits
- Director: Eric Appel
- Screenwriters: Nate Bargatze, Dan Lagana
- Cast: Nate Bargatze, Mandy Moore, Kumail Nanjiani, Will Forte, Colin Jost, Kate Berlant, Stella Grace Fitzgerald, Birdie Borria, Charlotte Ann Tucker
- Production: Nateland Entertainment, One Man Canoe, Wonder Project
- Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Rated PG • 1 hour 35 minutes
Bottom line: A safe, family‑friendly ride that rarely sparkles or surprises, trading laughs for comfy predictability.
Source: Original article
