Nate Bargatze’s ‘The Breadwinner’ Draws Mixed Reviews as Family Comedy Debuts

Nate Bargatze’s ‘The Breadwinner’ Surfaces As Hollywood Wonders What It Takes to Make a Studio Comedy Now

With critics giving the comedy film ‘The Breadwinner’, starring well-known stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze in his first acting role, negative reviews, the film’s release raises many concerns about a much bigger problem faced by Hollywood: Can a film studio even make a comedy movie these days with all the superhero movies and streaming shows?

While there are many issues with the formulaic storyline in Bargatze’s latest film which uses tired comedy clichés, what stands out in terms of whether or not it can be commercially successful is the massive fan base he commands.

A New Kind of Comedy

Over several decades spanning into the 90s and early 2000s, comedies remained one of the most predictable genres to emerge from Hollywood. Films belonging to this genre were successfully made and also helped create new stars.

Recent developments seem to indicate that all the major film production studios in Hollywood have decided to use their resources to make intellectual property franchises. The making of original comedy films seems to be quite rare now with most such movies being released exclusively through online platforms.

On its own, The Breadwinner is an intriguing project simply for this reason.

Unlike other films which are built around certain franchises or existing universes of a movie, this film relies on Bargatze’s status as a celebrity comedian touring the country.

Mixed Reviews, but Great Interest

The opinions of critics have been somewhat mixed.

While some reviewers have praised the film for having an easy-going humorous atmosphere and for being wholesome in nature, others feel that the comedic aspects of the movie look outdated compared to current films available at the theaters.

This has been a challenge that comedy movies often face. Unlike action movies and spectacular films, comedies are very subjective in nature. What may entertain one set of people can be considered stale by another.

That is why audience reviews are essential.

A Large Following for Bargatze

Bargatze enters the movie business carrying a lot of momentum.

Over the past few years, he has managed to earn a reputation for being one of the most prominent stars in the area of stand-up comedy by performing sold-out arena tours, creating popular comedy specials, and providing clean comedy with reflections on everyday occurrences.

It should be noted that his style of humor does not limit itself solely to comedy enthusiasts; rather, it reaches those individuals who seek entertainment content appealing to a wider audience of various ages.

This might prove beneficial for the failing movie industry seeking new ways to attract customers to the theater.

Case Study for Original Comedies Movies

Regardless of whether The Breadwinner gets positive reviews or not, it might become a case study for the future of original comedy films.

The film industry keeps looking for a single proof that audiences may be willing to watch movies that do not come from existing brand franchises. The success of this movie could mean that there are more comedy projects involving popular personalities ahead.

If not, Hollywood bosses would have another confirmation that comedy in theaters is not a profitable enterprise.

What’s Next

For now, attention has been redirected from ratings to the public’s response.

It will be interesting to see whether Bargatze’s supporters will be able to believe that he is capable of moving from stand-up comedy into Hollywood films and whether this movie will be interesting to somebody else besides those supporters.

Of course, this movie might not answer all of the doubts about the destiny of comedy films. On the other hand, since hardly any new comedy films appear these days, its release will certainly attract much attention in the industry.

By David Loran Jr

A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.

Sources:

The Guardian: The Breadwinner review – Nate Bargatze’s dated dad comedy loses us entirely

The New York Times: ‘The Breadwinner’ Review: Nate Bargatze, Man of the House

Featured Image Courtesy of Melanie Levi‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

Inset Image Courtesy of la-underground‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

Nate Bargatze’s ‘The Breadwinner’ Draws Mixed Reviews as Family Comedy Debuts
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