I was really looking forward to finding out how the horse got on the roof*
Your humble Average Dude is a fan of Nate Bargatze’s comedy, and I’m not really sure why. Is it because he has a very self-effacing style? Is it because he has amazing deadpan delivery and perfect timing? Could it be because his comedy is clean enough to watch with your grandmother? Or Mother Superior? Possibly. But there are lots of clean comics out there. And most comics have an understanding of timing. So what is it about Nate Bargatze that has captured us and propelled him to the point where Hollywood comes calling? I don’t know and at the end of the day, I don’t really care. I just know that I’m totally here for it.
Admittedly, I think I’ve only seen one full Nate Bargatze standup show start to finish. But nearly every single day I watch at least one of his YouTube or Facebook shorts. They make my day better. For about 30 seconds a shot, I get to forget all the doom-scroll negativity or day-to-day drudgery. And I love that. I need that.
But can he stick the landing?
I’ll admit I had some concern about the transition from standup to cinema. It seems like most comedians who get a level of success in clubs and then on Netflix eventually try to make the leap. Some are successful (Eddie Murphy is the one that comes immediately to mind). But there are others that just. Can’t. Do it.
Take Bert Kreischer. Probably the funniest standup show of my lifetime was The Machine. I laughed until my face was a soaking wet mess and my gut hurt for a day. So I was psyched to see the movie adaptation of that story. If you missed it (and you probably did), my review of that movie was…not great. But I’m a courageous fellow, so I rolled the dice on The Breadwinner. That, and Mrs Average Dude wanted to see it. Plus, there really wasn’t much else to see this week (what a surprise).
Mr Keaton, you are needed on set
I don’t know how many of you will remember the 1983 movie Mr Mom starring Michael Keaton. When people think about the home life role reversal scenario, that movie is kind of the OG gold standard to which all others are compared. So, The Breadwinner really isn’t breaking any new ground here. Hard-working provider dad is thrust into the world of the hard-working homemaker and finds out how hilariously inept and unprepared he is. Sitcoms have been mining this trope since the beginning. It’s classic situational comedy. I don’t really need to describe the movie any more than that.
It would be akin to beating a puppy in public
What sets The Breadwinner apart is both obvious and difficult to capture. Personality. Character. Likeability. These are qualities that Nate Bargatze possesses in quantum amounts. And in today’s world, those qualities are in high demand. Nate Bargatze is an unapologetic family man. His comedy is intelligent and clever (his SNL bits are priceless). He never yells, never debases anyone. He is non-political. His comedy is not divisive. How can he NOT be popular? I have not seen or heard of a single person, institution or entity that has anything bad to say about him or his comedy. In today’s social landscape, that’s unheard of.
The Black Widow Effect
As funny as Nate Bargatze is, it’s not unfair to point out that The Breadwinner imports more than one or two of the star’s standup moments. So it’s not 100% original material, sad to say. And there is a pretty decent supporting cast. Colin Jost, also a stay at home dad, is hilariously on-the-nose. Will Forte was even more inept in his role and they played off each other like two of the Three Stooges.
So yeah, Bargatze had help. But in the end, the heart of this movie is the audience belief that Bargatze is that guy, with all the faults and foolishness and misguided good intentions. I don’t know if that’s actually who he is, but I choose to believe it is. Because I want to believe it.
So, I am glad to give The Breadwinner a very decent score of 3.7 out of 5. There were plenty of chuckles and laughs (if no outright gut-busters). It was an entertaining and wholesome movie. Maybe you wait for it to get to Netflix, I would not blame you. But I don’t hate that I saw it in my moviehaus. Either way, wherever you want to see it, go ahead. That’s my recommendation. Couldn’t we all use an hour and 35 minutes of wholesome? Rhetorical. Of course we can.
*Oh, and FYI, the horse never does get on the roof. I deducted .1 for dishonsety on the movie poster.
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