Once More With Feeling
Better Nate Than Ever is a stylish and heart-warming musical with a nice message at its core. Unfortunately, it’s also a movie with serious structural issues, paper-thin characterisation and a surprising lack of conflict for Nate to battle against. I want to say I really enjoyed Better Nate Than Ever (given my adore the theatre and musicals in general) but compared to movies like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and School of Rock, this one pales by comparison.
Nate’s journey down to New York is full of adventure and excitement. He meets new people, makes new friends, and learns about the world while he’s on the road. He even gets a chance to perform in a Broadway production! Nate is a likable character who is determined to make his dreams come true.
Nate’s journey to the top of the music industry is a familiar one, but it’s also a bit by-the-numbers. There are a few musical numbers sprinkled in for good measure, and some contrivance with the audition process, but Nate manages to overcome all of these obstacles.
Nate is a very confident person and his attitude comes from his belief that he can achieve anything he sets his mind to. However, there are moments where Nate has to overcome doubts and these come from things like the time when he was considering quitting his dream job and the time when he was unsure if he could make it as a musician. Despite these moments of conflict, Nate always manages to come out on top because of his positive attitude.
Nate’s life is full of surreal moments, featuring glitzy, flamboyant renditions of different moments from his life. This series is deliciously surreal, featuring scenes with Nate and his brother Anthony.
This kids film is kind of a mess. There are a few good jokes, some amusing titbits, and some pretty catchy musical numbers but the end result is just not very strong. The ending also feels rushed and doesn’t really resolve one of the film’s bigger sub-plots. I’ll be writing an article about it soon!
Nate is a likable protagonist who faces challenges and overcome them with the help of friends. He has references to theatre and other Disney movies, which makes for an enjoyable film experience. There are also clever subversions throughout the film that make it even more fun.
These moments are great but unfortunately are too few and far between to make this anything but a throwaway movie you’re unlikely to return to in a hurry. Stay for the theatre references and easy-going story but those after another big musical hit will likely be left disappointed.
Nate Diaz is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC. He has a great record and is always in the mix for a title shot. However, Diaz has been criticized recently for some questionable behavior. First, he was caught smoking marijuana after his fight against Conor McGregor. Then, he was caught on video throwing a bottle at a car that was following him. These incidents have led to some calls for Diaz to be banned from the UFC. However, UFC president Dana White has defended him, saying that he’s still one of the best fighters in the organization. ..
