It means well but this felt so slight to me and Ben Stiller's character never came across to me as likable. It's very much a character study and if you aren't onboard with his character's journey and observations about life it's hard to enjoy. That being said, there are a few beats that land mostly thanks to the strong breakout turn from Austin Abrams as his son. I thought the final moment between the two of them was great. Other segments, such as an extended conversation with a college student about his struggles that turns itself into an observation on white privilege, land with a thud. The talented supporting cast doesn't get a ton to do and most amount to what are basically extended cameos. C+

Mortality and regret permeate Brad's Status, the feel bad movie for middle age also-rans. I suppose Ben Stiller is just the guy to play this, though cracks are showing in his technique. Every subspecies of human experience deserves its movie, but I can't imagine ever checking out Brad's Status again. *B-*

This film impressed me and has stayed in my mind more vividly than most do. With an almost surgical comic wit, but also a healthy degree of sympathy, it dissects this very specific intersection of narcissism, nostalgia, privilege, and self-doubt. Moment after moment rang true for me, even if it stung, and the incremental epiphanies of the third act are moving. It perfectly utilizes the sharpest edges of Ben Stiller's neurotic screen most presence; he is excellent here and just instantly understands how to inhabit and unravel this peculiar, angst-ridden suburbanite. The young actor Austin Abrams is terrific as his son, too, with his understated regular-teen affect, and the supporting cast, including Michael Sheen and Jemaine Clement, is full of always-welcome faces.

A-

This made me cringe when watching Brad's Status:



That black guy (top right) was definitely PhotoShopped in to add some diversity.