Critic Reviews

Written by Bargatze with Dan Lagana and directed by Eric Appel (of “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”), “The Breadwinner” will be familiar to anyone who’s heard of the 1983 film “Mr. Mom,” but the accents are very 21st century.

The Breadwinner is a faith-based comedy without the faith. The comedy is safe and slapsticky, which means it’s pretty dull. It’s a family comedy for all ages, but for me, I wish this film would punch down once in a while.

Perhaps predictably, the cast’s strongest chemistry has little to do with the nuclear Wilcox clan. Bargatze comes more alive opposite his fellow comedians, who, appearing in various supporting roles, seem to understand the unusual frequency Appel is chasing better than the film’s star himself.

The comedian’s 'Mr. Mom' update offers a few opportunities to chuckle, but the gags mostly fall flat.

Bargatze’s first effort as a leading man, it seems, is yet another reminder that even the country’s biggest performers might not be able to make a comedy into a theatrical hit anymore. The Breadwinner is admittedly not very good.

Fans of Bargatze’s squeaky clean comedy of domestic absurdity will feel comforted by The Breadwinner‘s lightly toasted humor. They’ll feel doubly reassured by the clips from Bargatze’s stand-up that inspired the film’s material, which roll over the credits between shots of the cast cracking up. Sure, they all had a good time, but the audience deserves something more than what they’ve been fed before.

Director Eric Appel has worked on plenty of funny TV series, yet in place of slick professionalism, this movie feels Scotch-taped together.

Unfortunately, the biggest product this movie is selling is the outdated notion that fathers are so incompetent that they don’t know where their own kids go to school, or how to make toast, or how to do the laundry.

Standup’s comedy king of clean Nate Bargatze riffs on Mr. Mom for his screen acting debut. He deserves better than this phoned-in excuse for family fun. So do audiences.

And like Bargatze, The Breadwinner is relatable, inoffensive and also thoroughly bland.