Nate At The Movies

I’m in San Antonio for the week, and my dad wanted to orchestrate a Mando and Grogu movie night for all of us. Trouble was, I’d already seen it. Instead, we split; three of us went to The Mandalorian and Grogu, and three of us (myself included) went to The Breadwinner. I didn’t think Nate Bargatze’s film debut was going to best Mando and Grogu—and I’m not sure it did—but Morgan, my mom, and I had a fun time. Bargatze’s a funny guy, so shocker that he made a funny movie.

It was pretty clear from the trailers that The Breadwinner was going to be pretty by-the-book. The story was basic and kind of Disney Channel movie-esque, but the simple premise allowed Bargatze’s comedy to come through. I did wish the story had made a little more sense—let’s be real, the Star Minder isn’t Shark Tank or South Korean trip-worthy—but with this kind of movie, the story isn’t the focus. The antics were also pretty predictable, and I wish that they had gotten a little more creative or crazy, but I did still find myself laughing at a lot of the predicaments the Wilcox family found themselves in.

Like my mom mentioned on the way out of the theater, Nate Bargatze likely does not have a future in acting, but his comedic chops translated to film relatively well. His dry delivery was welcome in such an energetic comedy like this, and he bounced off of his co-stars well. Colin Jost and Will Forte were excellent scene partners, with Jost especially coming to play as the stay-at-home dad. The three girls also did a solid job playing off of Bargatze and each other, and unlike a Disney Channel movie, these girls weren’t dressed absolutely abhorrently! Why did Disney Channel give their stars the worst fits imaginable? Even with some strong comedic moments, watching the clips of Bargatze’s stand-up in the credits unfortunately reminded me how much funnier he is on stage.

The Breadwinner was nothing special, but I had a good time and laughed more than I expected, especially given the uninspiring trailers. There wasn’t a lot of narrative or emotional substance, which was sorely missed, but the comedy kept the movie afloat. I’d sign up for more Nate Bargatze movies in the future, as long as the writing team either gets better or gets replaced. I want a movie with something to say, even if it’s going to be a family-friendly comedy like this. Funny enough, you know what kinds of movies are good at that? Disney Channel movies!