Although Brad has a satisfying career, a sweet wife and a comfortable life in suburban Sacramento, things aren't quite what he imagined during his college glory days. When he accompanies his musical prodigy son on a university tour, he can't help comparing his life with those of his four best college friends who seemingly have more wealthy and glamorous lives. But when circumstances force him to reconnect with his former friends, Brad begins to question whether he has really failed or if their lives are actually more flawed than they appear.
Acting
Ben Stiller's most uncomfortably vulnerable performance.
Writing
Mike White weaponizes secondhand embarrassment brilliantly.
Direction
Voiceover as unreliable narrator of one's own misery.
Director
Mike White
Ben Stiller
Brad Sloan
Austin Abrams
Troy Sloan
Jenna Fischer
Melanie Sloan
Michael Sheen
Craig Fisher
Jemaine Clement
Billy Wearslter
Luke Wilson
Jason Hatfield
Shazi Raja
Ananya
Mike White
Nick Pascale
Xavier Grobet
Xavier
Adam Capriolo
Chris Kanew
Felicia Shulman
Cherie Parkinson
Jane Wheeler
Harvard Mother
Karl Graboshas
Admission Officer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mike White based Brad's interior monologue on his own documented struggles with status anxiety and self-comparison in Hollywood circles.
The restaurant scene where Brad learns Craig's true net worth—Michael Sheen's barely concealed pity is excruciatingly real.
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Reactions from the web
Its good to see Ben Stiller back. Its been a while since he's been in something good.
@cassianandor4103 29
This was a great movie. Really made me think about life. Brad's mind kinda goes to places that make you cringe but that's just the movie keeping it real cause we all play around with weird and messed up ideas in our heads.
@KageKevSama 32
I really love Mike White's writing. I'm sorry "Enlightened" was canceled. He's brilliant at creating shows and movies about real life. I aspire to write like he does.
@todrapayne 9
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