There's a huge gap between critics' and audiences' reactions to Nate Bargatz's debut film, The Baker.
Critics called the film bland, while audiences loved it. All the complaints boil down to one main problem: Bargatze's pursuit of pure, accessible humor deprives the film of creative comedy, conflict, and much-needed urgency.
The Hollywood Reporter called the film "harmless to the point of being utterly boring," and The Epoch Times wrote, "While it's smart to play it safe from a marketing standpoint, the film is creatively flawed... and incredibly dull.".
The AV Club criticized the film: "Bargatze's commitment to 'clean' comedy—that is, material that won't offend white, upper-class suburbanites—means that 'The Bread Baker' loses the edge that 'The Bread Baker' might have had.".
However, audiences seem to appreciate exactly what the critics criticized: a light, family-friendly comedy that doesn't try to shock, preach, or reinvent the wheel.
«"We took the whole family and had a great time," one viewer wrote, adding that he enjoyed "knowing it was a movie we could watch together without worrying about the content being inappropriate.".
Another user wrote: "It's exactly what you'd expect: a refreshing comedy for the whole family.".
The gap between critics' and audiences' reviews of the film on Rotten Tomatoes is clear: critics gave the film a score of just 191 TP3T, while audiences gave it an 861 TP3T.
Billed as a revival of the family comedy, "The Breadwinner" tells the story of a successful car salesman, played by the mega-popular comedian Bargatze. After his wife, played by Mandy Moore, leaves for a month-long business trip that could dramatically change her career, she is forced to become a housewife and stay-at-home dad.
With three young daughters to care for and little experience in housekeeping, he quickly realizes that family life is much more complicated than he expected.
The plot is simple—if a little dated and cliched—and both fans and critics agree it's nothing groundbreaking. The difference? Fans could overlook the film's weaknesses and still enjoy it. Critics couldn't.
«"We all laughed a lot," one fan wrote. "There weren't any mind-blowing plot twists, but it was a lot of fun.".
Another fan said, "Not a masterpiece, but charming, definitely family-friendly, and has a few good laughs... the kind of movie you rarely see in theaters anymore. Definitely a family watch again.".
Perhaps Bargatze is a one-genre comedian: if you take him outside of his stand-up routine, his humor isn't fully understood. Or, more likely, critics simply dislike his style of comedy—a clean, accessible style that has nonetheless earned him a huge following.
Bargatze's fans, however, seem unconcerned. Accustomed to his laconic style, they were able to enjoy his film despite its flaws.
The discrepancy between critics and audiences is nothing new. Audiences regularly disagree with critics' harsher assessments, but does it matter? Not really.
There is a trend towards declining trust in expert opinion, with moviegoers becoming more concerned with the opinion of the majority.
Midway through the year, Super Mario Galaxy Movie became the highest-grossing film to date, after a barrage of negative reviews from critics ("utterly stupid," "empty emptiness," "agonizing to watch").
Last year's box office leader, "A Minecraft Movie," surpassed $930 million worldwide despite similarly unfavorable reviews ("a hot pink mess," "a phenomenally lazy film," "a clumsy mess").
Having grossed nearly a billion dollars worldwide, "Mario" demonstrates that poor critical reviews don't dampen box office returns. While higher-rated films like the thriller "The Help" and the romantic comedy "Drama" earned only a fraction of "Mario's" total box office revenue, "Mario" is a true example of a film with a strong reputation.
What do studios think about this?
Even for film studios, money talks. Positive critical reviews can boost a film's marketing campaign, especially for low-budget films, but they generally don't determine its box office performance, especially if audiences are positive.
But, like any other business, cinema is a product that must generate profit. When films generate high box office revenue, studios become interested in future projects.
For example, Grown Ups received a 10% positive review rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes but ultimately grossed over $271 million worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing comedies of all time. The film received a sequel, and another installment in the franchise is currently in development.
Of course, positive reviews and high profits are ideal for film studios. But big action films and low-budget comedies invariably receive poor reviews—and audiences still come to the cinema.
Critics don't always sense what content is in demand or what audiences like, and moviegoers understand this. While reviews can provide insight into a film's artistic quality, they can't predict how it will be received by audiences.
So, Bargatze fans, ignore the harsh reviews, you'll probably enjoy The Breadwinner.