Film Review – The Breadwinner (2026)

      The Breadwinner, 2026.

      Directed by Eric Appel.

      Featuring Nate Bargatze, Mandy Moore, Stella Grace Fitzgerald, Birdie Borria, Charlotte Ann Tucker, Colin Jost, Zach Cherry, Martin Herlihy, Kate Berlant, Kumail Nanjiani, Will Forte, Charity Cervantes, Calista Craig, Brett Cullen, Bria Brimmer, Danielle Gross, Jasmine Washington, Charlene Amoia, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky, and Kevin O’Leary.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A supermom secures a deal on Shark Tank, leading to a role reversal with her husband, the breadwinner. He faces challenges as he transitions to being a stay-at-home dad for their three daughters.

      From director Eric Appel and comedian/co-writer/star Nate Bargatze, The Breadwinner suggests that the cast has just discovered the potential for swapping gender roles, naively thinking they are breaking new ground. Describing it as outdated hardly captures its essence; despite being set in the present, the film’s society feels disconnected from reality, almost as if it exists in a world untouched by any feminist movements where the concept of a stay-at-home dad is unheard of.

      Though there’s an opportunity for humor linked to the film’s Tennessee backdrop or the South as a whole, I won’t delve into disparaging remarks. Even accepting the film's premise, nearly everything here lacks humor, relying on lazy slapstick and overused tropes while portraying the father as such a clueless individual that it strains credibility. Some setups hint at potential laughs, only for screenwriters Nate Bargatze and Dan Lagana to escalate the absurdity to a level that undermines the intended point of the joke, disconnecting situations or conversations from reality. Even a film this silly requires a dose of relatable humor, especially as it aims to tackle topics like gender roles and work-life balance.

      For the Wilcox family, which includes car salesman Nate (presumably a version of the comedian himself) and his inventive wife Katie (Mandy Moore), who handles traditional household duties like cooking and cleaning, their dynamic functions well until it’s disrupted by a uniquely crafted star object designed to remind children of their tasks, which leads Katie to get a spot on Shark Tank. This thrusts her into the business world, including a two-week trip to South Korea, with the realistic notion that this could be a bestselling product.

      Fortunately, this isn’t a narrative where Nate begrudges his wife's success or her financial contribution. After stepping back from his job at the car dealership and being replaced by a silly but capable rival (Kumail Nanjiani, one of the few bright spots), Nate takes on his wife's responsibilities and discovers how overwhelming managing the household and family can be. He jokes, “It’s not like I’m going to blow up the house,” and we as the audience are aware that, if it doesn’t happen, he will come perilously close.

      If I were to enumerate Nate’s shortcomings, it would take ages. The film fails to deliver a straightforward joke with grounded humor; rather, Nate seems deliberately depicted as the most incompetent person imaginable just to sustain the narrative (a notion his opening narration seems to support). It’s astonishing that he struggles with basic tasks like cooking breakfast or noticing that the toaster is unplugged. It takes him nearly the full two weeks to realize that simply taking his daughters to Walmart for their needs, be it for school or snacks, would simplify his duties.

      Moreover, any issues requiring private discussions are poorly handled despite his good intentions; he dismisses one daughter (Birdie Borria) about her interest in spelling bees while simultaneously purchasing a horse for another (despite their suburban life) to avoid confronting another serious issue with their youngest (Charlotte Ann Tucker), which creates a bizarre subplot on its own. Even the relatable subplot about the struggle to accept his 13-year-old daughter’s (Stella Grace Fitzgerald) crush on boys is depicted in a formulaic and unexciting way that fails to resonate. His solutions are often just too foolish to be relatable or humorous.

      Nate's journey of self-improvement involves more than just learning parenting and managing household duties; he is also inconsiderate towards other adults, including a fellow stay-at-home dad (Colin Jost) eager to connect. This dynamic also needs to shift. Additionally, he eventually returns to work, creating a tension between his professional and parental roles.

      Will Forte appears as a desperate roofer thrilled to finally land work, who unwittingly becomes a suitable partner and spends significant time at Nate’s home. The exchanges between them, especially those where the roofer is depicted as a more responsible father than Nate, constitute some of the few mildly amusing moments in the entire film, largely thanks to Forte’s comedic talent. It’s fair to say