Movie Review
heartwarming musical with a great message. Unfortunately, it's also a film with serious structural problems, paper-like imagery, and a surprising lack of conflict for Nate's confrontation. I mean, I was better than Nate (considering I adore theater and musicals in general), but compared to movies like Everybody's Talking About Jamie and School of Rock, this one pales in comparison.
Main Story
The story is about lovable 13-year-old Nate Foster. He's an unpopular kid from Pittsburgh with big dreams of being a Broadway musical star. After failing to land a role in her school's play, she teams up with her best friend Libby and decides to travel to New York to try her hand at Broadway instead. A new Lilo and Stitch musical is on the way, and Nate is determined to make it big.
What ensues is a formulaic drama by numbers, with a few musical numbers sprinkled in for good measure. There's enough conflict with the auditions themselves, and a surprising lack of obstacles for Nate to actually try it out—beyond his own state of mind, anyway.
I'm careful not to reveal spoilers here, but compared to films like Sing 2 and the aforementioned School of Rock, there are almost no moments where Nate has to struggle with the grandeur of his dreams or plans. There are no moments where Nate goes against the grain, and while a positive attitude is a great asset to have, moments of conflict for Nate stem from the aforementioned moments of doubt.
The segments are also deliciously surreal, featuring vivid, lavish renditions of various moments from Nate's life, dominated by his ongoing mini-feud with his brother Anthony.
I understand that this is a children's movie, but there is not much substance in this movie. There are a few good jokes, a few fun titbits and some pretty catchy musical numbers...and that's it. The ending is also another point of contention that seems rushed and fails to resolve one of the film's larger subplots. Although I'll have more to say about this in an upcoming wrap-up explainer!
References
Better Nate Than Ever has quite a few theater references, plenty of nods to other Disney movies, and a really likable protagonist in Nate. There's even a beautifully twisted moment towards the end of the film where Nate confronts someone from the school he was in trouble with earlier in the film.
These moments are great, but unfortunately too few and far between to make it a thing. A movie you're unlikely to return to in a hurry. Stick around for the theatrical references and easy storytelling, but those coming after another big musical hit will likely be disappointed.
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