The Breadwinner movie review: Nate Bargatze’s big-screen vehicle is inoffensive to the point of downright boring

Related. It’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of Nate Bargatze. The humble, mild-mannered comedian has become one of the most popular live acts in the country, regularly selling out arenas. His sense of humor is clean and mostly revolves around his family life. He is harmless and cuddly. Like many comedians before him, he has now adapted his character to the screen, although not for the TV series you might expect – but for the big screen. And like Bargazzi, The breadwinner Relatable, harmless and also quite nice.

Do you remember the scene in… Kramer v. Kramer When Dustin Hoffman, recently abandoned by his wife, tries to make breakfast for his young son, and it turns out to be a disaster? Imagine this scene spanning 90 minutes or so, and you’ll get a feel for this film written by Bargazzi and Dan Lagana. Except in this case, father Nate (you didn’t think a comedian would extend himself by playing a character with a different name, did you?), only has to man the fort for two weeks while his beloved wife Katie (Mandy Moore, perhaps desperately hoping for a chance) this is us reunion) travels to South Korea to supervise the production of a new product she invented.

Forced to temporarily give up the job of a car salesman, which he loves and is so good at that he is regularly awarded the title of “Salesman of the Year” at the Toyota dealership where he works (this may be the only film in history that makes the profession seem almost noble), Nate is forced to take care of his three young daughters (Stella Grace Fitzgerald, Birdie Boria, Charlotte Ann Tucker), all of whom are well-adjusted and adorable.

It seems like a relatively simple task, but not for Nate, who doesn’t know when the toaster has been unplugged and can’t open the kitchen cabinet without a load of dry spaghetti falling on his head. As for washing clothes, don’t forget that, he simply sprinkles his children’s clothes with their mothers’ scent. When he goes to the grocery store, he is amazed by the wide variety of eggs on offer, and has no idea what lactose-free milk is.

This is all supposed to be a lot of fun, and it probably would have been if we hadn’t seen it handled in a funnier way in almost every family sitcom ever created and in films like Mr. Mom. But to forget the previous ones, The breadwinner He is so lazy and laid back that he practically retreats into himself. This is the movie that makes TV shows like Father knows best and My three sons He seems agitated. Bargatze’s deadpan comic persona works well in his stand-up act, but on screen he often seems on the verge of falling into a coma, his eyes occasionally flashing to signal distress.

What’s worse is that the film wastes a talented cast in one-tone, one-joke roles, including Kumail Nanjiani as Nate’s jealous classmate; Colin Jost as a fellow house father who becomes resentful and needy; Will Forte as an ignorant and incompetent roofer who practically becomes part of the family; And the wonderful Kate Berlant, who has absolutely nothing to do.

The clip includes Katie Happening Shark tank To showcase her product, her product features appearances from all of the hosts, including the now-ubiquitous Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner (for an unknown reason). It plays like a not-so-funny version of one of those I love Lucy Episodes in which Lucy meets a Hollywood star.

Featuring odes to central institutions like the Tennessee Titans and Walmart, which are depicted as a holy Mecca where any problem can be solved, The breadwinner It aspires to the style of John Hughes family humor without any of the real fun the director produced. The main comedic piece involves a horse seemingly rising from the dead and proceeding to rampage through the house, which is not as funny as it sounds. In a recurring gag, Nate blows an air horn to attract people’s attention. It may be the only thing that will keep the audience awake.