When virtue isn’t enough of a reward
Brad’s Status
(out of 4) Starring Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer, Michael Sheen, Luke Wilson, Jemaine Clement and Mike White. Written and directed by Mike White. Opens Friday at the Varsity. 102 minutes. 14A Has there ever been a face more suited to male anxiety than Ben Stiller’s?
From There’s Something About Mary to Meet the Fockers to Greenberg and beyond, his hangdog mug has been a reliable gauge, his quizzical eyes and uncertain smile vainly attempting to mask the torment within.
His new film Brad’s Status, written and directed by the observant Mike White, adds an unnecessary voiceover narrative to the picture, as Stiller’s titular sad sack bemoans reaching middle age without the money and acclaim to show for it: “I felt like the world was rubbing my nose in it.”
Brad’s college chums have all skyrocketed — there’s financier Jason (Luke Wilson), digital whiz Billy (Jemaine Clement), Washington insider/author Craig (Michael Sheen) and Hollywood titan Nick (White) — while our status-conscious hero has remained grounded in suburban Sacramento, running a virtuous nonprofit organization and enjoying family life with his devoted wife, Melanie (Jenna Fischer), and brainiac musician son Troy (Austin Abrams).
Life’s been good, but not quite good enough for Brad. His anxiety and envy soar when Troy’s talents make him a candidate for Harvard, which Brad didn’t get into, along with other institutions dad failed to conquer. Now Brad is obliged to accompany Troy on an East Coast tour of Ivy League colleges, which will bring the self-proclaimed failure into the orbit of his successful buddies, all of whom are oblivious to his angst.
The story is good as far as it goes, but White doesn’t choose to go very far with it and the characters outside the title one register as little more than cameos. Stiller can play a guy like Brad in his sleep, as he demonstrates in moments big and small: Everything from calling in favours from college pals to attempting to upgrade an airplane seat turns awkward, much to the chagrin of Troy, who barely speaks.
White has been here before, too. He’s ripped into social divides with much a sharper blade in previous movies, including Miguel Arteta’s recent Beatriz at Dinner, for which White penned the screenplay.
A scene in a bar where Brad gets a lecture on checking his privilege from a worldly college student (Shazi Raja) lacks the conviction and sting of a similar slapdown by Salma Hayek to John Lithgow in Beatriz.
But Brad would chalk it up to getting the short end of the stick, yet again.
Also opening: Roger Goldby’s road trip comedy The Time of Their Lives, at the Varsity; Joey Kern’s bachelor party comedy Big Bear, at the Carlton; and Simon Verhoeven’s social media horror Friend Request, at GTA theatres. Peter Howell Beach Rats
(out of 4) Starring Harrison Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein. Written and directed by Eliza Hittman. Opens Friday at TIFF Bell Lightbox. 98 minutes. 14A Trophy
(out of 4) Documentary by Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau on the realities and trade-offs of big game hunting. Opens Friday at the Carlton. 110 minutes. 14A 47 Meters Down
(out of 4) Starring Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine, Yani Gellman, Santiago Segura and Chris Johnson. Available Sept. 26 on DVD. 89 minutes. 14A