Courtney Howard What hooks and disarms audiences minutes after clicking play on “Better Nate Than Ever” is its infectious energy.
George Benson’s funk cover of “On Broadway,” used decades earlier in “All That Jazz,” makes for a lively introduction to a spirited, small-statured youth’s big personality.
Writer-director Tim Federle welcomes us into this world with the tantalizing promise of major things to come in a semi-biographical tale of an underdog chasing his dream of becoming a Broadway sensation.
But before that can happen, a series of hapless, comedic misadventures has to occur. Funny, vibrant, yet schmaltzy to a fault, this Disney Plus family film can carry a tune, but falters in crafting a runaway hit.
Read more on variety.com