Worth: $12.50
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Cast:
Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer
Intro:
...hits the mark in its pointed, gently comedic, yet compassionate treatment of its central character.
With 50 looming on the not too distant horizon, and his son on the cusp of leaving for college, Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller) takes stock of his life. Despite sharing it with a loving wife (Jenna Fischer), a son (Austin Abrams) that excels at music, and having established his own small “not-for-profit” organisation, Brad is plagued by self doubt, exacerbated by comparing his life to the lives of his wealthier college friends. So, as his son tours potential colleges, Brad circles the drain of a mid-life crisis as he calls into question the worth of his life.
Director Mike White grants us an Access All Areas pass into the inner turmoil of Brad, and that can be confronting. Initially Brad’s constant droning internal monologue, daydreams, recollections and social media obsession are jarring and confusing. That is something that never really goes away – rather the audience becomes acclimatised to the character, understanding his rich, if somewhat petty, stream of consciousness. As you delve deeper into the miasma that makes up the character, his superficiality, narcissism, and self loathing all rise to the surface. Even his revelatory moment, one that we have all grown to expect from this archetype, is minute – undercut by layers of pomposity.
Yet it is hard not to be engaged by Brad, and the reason for this is two-fold.
Firstly Stiller’s charisma is undeniable, even playing someone that is so wrapped up in his own internal processes. He generally underplays the role, allowing for the comedy and drama to arise organically from the situation. His almost constant self-obsessed narration may at times be grating, but this is due to it being deliberately overused for effect, rather than a failing of the actor.
Secondly, despite all his faults, Brad is very relatable – we just might not like looking at that facet of ourselves. His constant internalised comparison to an idealised vision of someone else’s success, his ruminations on his own failings, his inability to see his own advantages and privilege – they are all very human.
Stiller is also backed up by a sterling cast. Jemaine Clement, Luke Wilson, and Michael Sheen all bring life to Brad’s more successful university friends, but also manage to undercut their own success with a number of subtle (and not so subtle) flaws. However, it is the younger cast members that often act as the voice of wisdom, and in that they shine. Shazi Raja, as a reflection of Brad’s optimism, delivers pitch-perfect truth bombs to the self absorbed middle-aged man, while Austin Abrams downplays the long-suffering son, with an air of resignation and kindness.
Brad’s Status is a film that hits the mark in its pointed, gently comedic, yet compassionate treatment of its central character. It might not lead to a vast insight, but that small revelation is more realistic and genuine than hoped.
