Brad's Status

Name: Brad's Status
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Music
Released: September 15, 2017
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Austin Abrams, Ben Stiller, Jemaine Clement, Jenna Fischer, Luisa Lee

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 40 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 55 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 55 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Annapurna Pictures | Release Date: September 15, 2017 | R

Starring: Austin Abrams, Ben Stiller, Jemaine Clement, Jenna Fischer, Luisa Lee, Luke Wilson, Michael Sheen, Mike White, Shazi Raja, Xavier Grobet

Summary: Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller) has a satisfying career and a comfortable life in suburban Sacramento where he lives with his sweet-natured wife, Melanie (Jenna Fischer), and their musical prodigy son, Troy (Austin Abrams), but it’s not quite what he imagined during his college glory days. Showing Troy around Boston, where Brad went toBrad Sloan (Ben Stiller) has a satisfying career and a comfortable life in suburban Sacramento where he lives with his sweet-natured wife, Melanie (Jenna Fischer), and their musical prodigy son, Troy (Austin Abrams), but it’s not quite what he imagined during his college glory days. Showing Troy around Boston, where Brad went to university, he can’t help comparing his life with those of his four best college friends: a Hollywood bigshot (Mike White), a hedge fund founder (Luke Wilson), a tech entrepreneur (Jemaine Clement), and a political pundit and bestselling author (Michael Sheen). As he imagines their wealthy, glamorous lives, he wonders if this is all he will ever amount to. But when circumstances force him to reconnect with his former friends, Brad begins to question whether he has really failed or is, in some ways at least, the most successful of them all.

… Expand

Director: Mike White

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Music

Rating: R

Runtime: 102 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

G. Allen Johnson

Sep 20, 2017

When explored by writer-director Mike White’s expert, soulful script, Brad, against all odds, becomes a sympathetic figure, and the film itself achieves a sort of poetry. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Sep 21, 2017

Brad’s Status contains moments of delicate humor. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Sep 11, 2017

Even as Brad’s Status doesn’t overextend its reach, Stiller gives the material a touching, soulful core. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Sep 14, 2017

White excels at writing dislikable protagonists — topped by Laura Dern on the HBO series “Enlightened” — while giving his characters enough humanity not to be monsters, and the potential for change. Read full review

Jon Frosch

Sep 11, 2017

Brad's Status is good enough to make you wish it were even better: tighter, bolder, sharper. But it's a droll, affecting movie — and, in its exploration of a man's fantasies of success and fears of failure, his trudge through the weeds of pessimism toward optimism, a distinctly American one. Read full review

Neil Smith

Jan 20, 2018

We’ve seen Stiller do ‘exasperated malcontent’ before, but this remains a perceptive portrait of fortysomething angst. Read full review

The Playlist Kevin Jagernauth

Sep 11, 2017

Brad’s Status rarely affords its titular character an opportunity to have a real conversation with anyone else his own age, so the movie becomes a monologue from someone you quickly realize you don’t really want to get to know anyway. Read full review

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User Reviews

anothermoviepls

Sep 17, 2017

It speaks volumes that a movie like this gets a 70 here at Metacrtic while
a Guardians of the Galaxy gets a 90. Its actually quite depressing.
I thought this movie was great. This movie will undoubtedly do very well in Europe, as do Woody Allen movies, and for the same reasons: this movieIt speaks volumes that a movie like this gets a 70 here at Metacrtic while
a Guardians of the Galaxy gets a 90. Its actually quite depressing.

I thought this movie was great. This movie will undoubtedly do very
well in Europe, as do Woody Allen movies, and for the same reasons:
this movie articulates some of inner thoughts and re-focuses our
attention on what is important in life. Many people I believe were put off by the abrupt ending and it is a bit
abrupt. But the writing is just perfect and Ben Stiller has so much
depth. Ben Stiller has to be commended. He can make millions and
chooses from time to time movies like this one and Greenberg. Keep them
coming Ben. Much appreciated.

A gem.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Djuna

Jan 9, 2018

'Brad's Status' is a really good, very deep film. This is an arty drama starring Ben Stiller, and he gives an emotionally profound performance as a father who's trying to connect with his son (Austin Abrams), evaluating his own life, and facing his fear that one or both of them will'Brad's Status' is a really good, very deep film. This is an arty drama starring Ben Stiller, and he gives an emotionally profound performance as a father who's trying to connect with his son (Austin Abrams), evaluating his own life, and facing his fear that one or both of them will ultimately be a failure.

Mike White ('School of Rock') is the writer and first-time director. He executes a simple, familiar premise thoroughly, with loving attention to detail. This is a self-aware, mature film.

Mark Mothersbaugh's score is incredibly skilful. Not many composers can make an audience laugh darkly at a single well-placed piano chord -- but he can. When several characters converge upon a performance of Dvořák's 'Humoresque,' too, it's a well-earned emotional moment.

Look, I wasn't sure about going to see a Ben Stiller movie either, but I **** you not. At the end of my screening, strangers in the audience were looking at each other open-mouthed. 'Brad's Status' reminded me of Woody Allen movies, and of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.' Go and see this movie. 9/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

lancekoz

Feb 23, 2018

This was a bit of surprise for me, as I thought of a more whacky father-son road trip film, but this is pretty serious stuff after the first 40 minutes or so. And rather than continued travel and humorous situations, the film stops in Cambridge and becomes a very thoughtful meditation on theThis was a bit of surprise for me, as I thought of a more whacky father-son road trip film, but this is pretty serious stuff after the first 40 minutes or so. And rather than continued travel and humorous situations, the film stops in Cambridge and becomes a very thoughtful meditation on the possibilities of a modern US life. No sidetrips into far-fetched romance or sit-com misunderstandings, but instead becomes pure soulful ruminations. One of the few films that I wished were longer by the end.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Fedorko

Nov 13, 2017

A Ben Stiller movie is always refreshing. He chooses movies that deal with wonder, awe and self-awareness. This movie is exactly that. It approaches self-awakening from a perspective of a loving father who will anything he can for his son. A very American, middle class film that almostA Ben Stiller movie is always refreshing. He chooses movies that deal with wonder, awe and self-awareness. This movie is exactly that. It approaches self-awakening from a perspective of a loving father who will anything he can for his son. A very American, middle class film that almost anyone can enjoy. But that's also it's downfall. It's a safe film- a family friendly think piece. It would have been nice to see it push it's thesis a little stronger.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CriticFer

Oct 22, 2017

The premise may not be the best but with Mike White direction and writing and Ben Stiller's performance makes "Brad's Status" being a really intrest, relaxing, funny and emotional movie that should be more appreciated that movies like "War of the Planet of the Apes".

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

virginiaproud

Jan 15, 2018

Ben Stiller does a fine job here as Brad, wallowing in status envy as he considers the perceived success of his fellow graduates. It's a very watchable flick but honestly, it's not that profound, your basic grass is greener situation. Brad isn't facing any challenge or conflict except hisBen Stiller does a fine job here as Brad, wallowing in status envy as he considers the perceived success of his fellow graduates. It's a very watchable flick but honestly, it's not that profound, your basic grass is greener situation. Brad isn't facing any challenge or conflict except his own negative self evaluation, and the sum of the action is that over the time frame of a college visit with his son to Boston, we get to watch him beat himself up while still successfully pulling strings to get his son into Harvard. One of the characters comments that everything he's describing can be summed up as privileged white male problems. I felt this was meant to be a 'deep moment'. It wasn't.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Loudermilk

Oct 3, 2017

Ben Stiller is very unbelievable and very unlike able. The writing is very mediocre and depends on voice overs. The plot is weak and left unfinished. The sons acting is better and he moves my review up from a zero to a one!

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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