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‘The Breadwinner’: Nate Bargatze’s Retro Family Comedy

‘The Breadwinner’: Nate Bargatze’s Retro Family Comedy

Last updated on: June 3, 2026 at 11:26 am by Kate O'Hare

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‘The Breadwinner’: Nate Bargatze’s Retro Family Comedy 2026-06-03T11:26:31-08:00 Kate O'Hare

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The sitcom trope of the clueless, schlubby dad and the smart, beautiful mom has been around for decades, and a loopy but funny version of it is back on the big screen in Sony Pictures’ The Breadwinner, hitting theaters on May 29.

Eric Appel directs from a script by star Nate Bargatze, who co-wrote with Dan Lagana.

What Is The Breadwinner About?

Clean comedian Bargatze (host of last year‘s Emmy Awards) plays Nate Wilcox, a top Nashville Toyota salesman (BTW, there’s a LOT of product placement in this film) who’s also a loving husband and father.

His wife Katie (Mandy Moore) is a hyper-organized stay-at-home mom to their three daughters (Stella Grace Fitzgerald, Birdie Borria, Charlotte Ann Tucker), who range in age from early teens to elementary school.

Nate also deals with his career-focused boss (Zach Cherry), and a competitive — and muscle-bound — fellow salesman (Kumail Nanjiani). Later on, Nate adds a would-be roofer (Will Forte), a pizza-delivery guy (Martin Herlihy), and his own dad (Brett Cullen) to the mix.

When a high-powered neighbor (Kate Berlant) insists that Katie takes the organizing gadget she invented (a multipointed plastic star that has compartments for chores) on ABC’s Shark Tank (a Sony series), she unexpectedly wins an investment from Shark Lori Greiner (as herself).

The catch is, for Katie to devote time to getting the product quickly to market, Nate has to take a leave from work and be a stay-at-home dad.

Even though he appears to be a fully functioning adult and successful at work, the bumbling-dad stereotype requires that he be unable to figure out even the simplest household chore, from the toaster (it’s a Cuisinart) on up.

Pestered by a fellow stay-at-home dad (Colin Jost), Nate proceeds to wreck his happy home in many ridiculous ways — but fear not, the day is saved in the end.

The same can be said of the movie.

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But, Is The Breadwinner Good?

The bumbling-dad paradigm evolved before a quick Google (or, these days, a quick check with an AI) could provide an answer to any dilemma, so that whole idea feels dated and unecessary … and sexist.

And as someone who rode a schoolbus every day, did many chores, and packed her own lunch after elementary school, the notion of the modern mom who is a combination of personal chef, chauffeur, and one-woman housekeeper feels a bit much. But I do know that’s how many parents roll these days … bless ’em.

There are some good messages about putting family first, and the whole work-life balance thing, which is big these days even with people who don’t have kids yet.

So, while the movie’s conceit is far from original, it is wholesome as heck and clean as a whistle, and has a certain goofball charm. I did laugh, and many journalists in the screening I was at laughed as well.

It’s entirely inoffensive (except to dads), the three sisters don’t engage in unnecessary sibling drama (that’s a relief), and, spoiler alert, no horses died.

Is There Faith Content in The Breadwinner?

Despite the very Nashville-centric nature of the film (the Tennesee Titans NFL team gets many shout-outs), there is neither country music nor a church scene in the film. No pastor makes an appearance, nor is the family seen praying.

But, faith-based studio Wonder Project (House of David) is a production partner on The Breadwinner, and traditional family values underpin the story.

Bargatze is a Christian, and recently said to New York Times (as quoted in the Deseret News):

“I am second to God. Second to your family, second to the audience, second to everybody,” he told the Times. “You live to serve, so it‘s very much a calling in that aspect.”

You may take your family without fear to The Breadwinner. It won’t win any awards, and the critics may not like it, but parents and kids alike will get a laugh.

Image: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Don’t miss a thing! Subscribe to my content at Authory.com/KateOHare.

About Kate O'Hare

Based in Los Angeles, Kate O'Hare is a veteran entertainment journalist, Social Media Content Manager and Blog Editor for Family Theater Productions and a screenwriter. You can read more about the author here.

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