Brad's Status
Although Brad has a satisfying career, a sweet wife and a comfortable life in suburban Sacramento, things aren't quite what he imagined during his college glory days. When he accompanies his musical prodigy son on a university tour, he can't help comparing his life with those of his four best college friends who seemingly have more wealthy and glamorous lives. But when circumstances force him to reconnect with his former friends, Brad begins to question whether he has really failed or if their lives are actually more flawed than they appear.
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- Cast：
- Ben Stiller , Austin Abrams , Jenna Fischer , Michael Sheen , Jemaine Clement , Luke Wilson , Shazi Raja
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Reviews
Excellent but underrated film
Best movie ever!
This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.
It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...
Ben Stiller is a fine actor and the young actor who played his son did a great job but I could not shake the feeling I was watching some updated version of Michael Scott from The Office. And that feeling has nothing to do with Jenna Fischer's presence. She's likable as well. The character of Brad made me cringe. More than once I wanted to scream "SHUT UP and stop talking for two minutes. I was happy when this was over. It was depressing.
What a shallow, unlikable character Ben Stiller plays. His performance nearly made it unwatchable for me.
(Flash Review)Brad has some learning and maturing to do even as a man in his fifties. As he embarks on a college tour trip with his son (one being Harvard of course), he begins to compare himself some of his college friends who are literally in the top 1% and he begins to feel jealous and that he hasn't amounted to... enough. As he begins to reconnect with some, he learns that their lives are as rosy as they may seem. Perhaps his upper middle class life with intelligent and kind son is actually pretty good. Will he figured that out? What college will his son her into? This movie is certainly aimed at parents out on a dinner and movie date. Maybe in today's modern society that is so focused on material happiness and living like a celebrity this is sadly somewhat needed for some to recalibrate what matters in life.
Sometimes we're just feeling too good. Too content, too satisfied, too darn happy. If you find yourself in that place and have 90 minutes to kill, Brad's Status could be just what the psychologist ordered. From the opening scene you feel the wet blanket dropped on you and just when you think "OMG, I need a drink", Brad takes you to new depths. There's a fleeting moment when you think that maybe this thing will turn around and Brad will discover and appreciate the true joys of life. Oh yea of little faith. It's a fake out. The credits roll and Brad hopelessness is alive and well. If you're hankering for a truly dreadful experience, Brad's your guy.
