There is a vast gulf between critic and fan reviews of Nate Bargatze’s debut film, “The Breadwinner.”
Critics described it as bland, while audiences found it enjoyable. The complaints boil down to one central issue — Bargatze’s commitment to clean, broadly accessible humor strips the film of creative comedy, conflict and a much-needed bite.
The Hollywood Reporter called the film “inoffensive to the point of total boredom,” while The Epoch Times wrote, “While taking no risks is smart from a marketing perspective, it’s creatively bereft ... and thunderously dull.”
And AV Club panned, “Bargatze’s commitment to ‘clean’ comedy, which is to say, material that is inoffensive to white upper-class suburbanites, means defanging whatever bite Breadwinner might otherwise have.”
Audiences, however, seem to value exactly what critics slammed — a lighthearted, family-friendly comedy that doesn’t attempt to shock, preach or reinvent the wheel.
“Took the whole family and had a blast,” one viewer wrote, adding that they appreciated “knowing it was a movie we could watch together without being worried about content being inappropriate.”
Another wrote, “It’s everything you expect it to be: refreshingly family-friendly comedy.”
The divide between critics and audiences over the film is stark on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics give the film a 19% approval rating, while audiences gave it an 86% approval rating.
Touted as the revival of the family comedy, “The Breadwinner,” stars the mega-popular comedian Bargatze as a successful car salesman thrust into life as a stay-at-home dad after his wife, played by Mandy Moore, leaves on a monthlong business trip that could transform her career.
Caring for their three young daughters with little experience running a household, he quickly learns that family life is more demanding than he expected.
The premise is simple — if a bit dated and slightly tired — and both fans and critics agree the plot is not groundbreaking. The difference? Fans could overlook the film’s weak spots and still have an enjoyable experience. Critics could not.
“We all laughed a lot,” one fan wrote. “Sure there weren’t mind blowing plot twists, but it was a lot of fun.”
Another fan said, “Not ground breaking but charming, definitely family friendly and a couple laugh out loud moments ... it’s the type of movie you don’t see in theaters anymore. Definitely will watch again, with the whole family.”
Maybe Bargatze is a one-trick pony — take him outside a stand-up routine and his humor doesn’t fully translate. Or, more likely, critics are simply not fond if his brand of comedy — a clean, relatable style that has still earned him a massive fanbase.
Fans of Bargatze, however, don’t seem to care. Familiar with his clean style, they were able to enjoy his film despite its shortcomings.
The mismatch between reviewers and moviegoers is nothing new. Audiences regularly disagree with critics’ harsher takes, but does it matter? Not really.
There is a shift away from trusting what experts think, and moviegoers care more about what the majority is saying.
Midway through the year, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” stands as the highest-earning film so far — after receiving a barrage of poor critical reviews (“rock-stupid,” “flat empty nothingness,” “torturous to sit through”).
Last year’s top earner, “A Minecraft Movie,” surpassed $930 million worldwide despite getting similarly unfavorable reviews (“hot-pink mess of a movie,” “phenomenally lazy movie,” “clunky mess”).
At nearly $1 billion worldwide, “Mario” shows poor reviews don’t slow ticket sales. While higher-rated films, like the thriller “Send Help” and the romantic comedy “The Drama,” earned only a fraction of the “Mario” box office total.
What do the studios think?
Even for film studios — money talks. Positive nuggets from critics’ reviews can boost a film’s marketing campaign, particularly for smaller films, but typically won’t make or break a film’s earning potential, especially if audiences are complimentary.
But like in any other business, films are a product that need to make money. When films gross high earnings at the box office, studios respond with interest in future projects.
“Grown Ups,” for example, received a 10% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes but went on to gross more than $271 million worldwide — making it one of the highest-grossing comedies of all time. The film earned a sequel, and another installment in the franchise is currently in development.
Of course, the ideal for studios is positive reviews and high profit. But big action blockbusters and lowbrow comedies consistently receive bad reviews — and audiences still turn out.
Critics don’t always have a feel for what kind of content audiences crave or enjoy — and moviegoers are aware of that gap. While reviews can provide an indication of a film’s artistic quality, they cannot predict how a film will resonate with with viewers.
So Bargatze fans, let the cutting reviews roll off your back, you’ll probably enjoy “The Breadwinner.”