Brad’s Status (2017)

My Review

“Brad’s Status” is a comedy-drama film about a man who is constantly comparing his seemingly ordinary life to the more glamorous and wealthy success of his four friends from college. They include a prominent Hollywood director, a wealthy hedge fund manager, a tech billionaire who retired to Maui, and a White House advisor and best-selling author. Director-screenwriter Mike White (“Year of the Dog” 2007) put together an intriguing and thoughtful independent film with fun performances which made the entire 101 running time go by fast.

Ben Stiller heads the cast as Brad, a role fit for his acting range. Co-stars include Austin Abrams as his teenage son trying to get into Harvard, Mike White as the film director, Luke Wilson is the hedge fund guy, Jermaine Clement lives on Maui, Michael Sheen works in the White House, Jenna Fisher as Brad’s wife, and Jimmy Kimmel as himself. The watchable “Brad’s Status” was released on streaming services for Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, Annapurna Pictures, and Amazon Studios. It was filmed in Montreal, Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts.