Thank goodness for theater kids. If not for the mysterious but unquenchable spark in the kids born loving plays and musicals, who would tell our stories? These are the children and teenagers who grow up to create "My Fair Lady," "Hamilton," "Mamma Mia," "Les Miserables," and "The Sound of Music." They are the people who make us laugh, cry, stand up and cheer, and dance in the aisles. Every moment in "Better Nate Than Ever" reflects his own deep love for musicals and for the people who create them. Nate's best and apparently only friend is Libby (Aria Brooks, who has perfected the snap of the Eve Arden-style best-friend delivery). She comforts him when he loses out on the school play with the news that there are open auditions in New York for a new musical based on "Lilo and Stitch," the animated Disney film about a Hawaiian girl who befriends a space creature. Conveniently, Nate's parents and brother will be away for the weekend, so he and Libby sneak off to Manhattan on an overnight bus. When they discover they cannot audition without a parent or guardian, they conveniently run into Nate's Aunt Heidi (the ever-delightful Lisa Kudrow), an actress supporting herself as a caterer. She gives Nate some good auditioning advice and lets him stay with her when he gets a callback. There are two good reasons to watch "Better Nate Than Ever." First, it is smart, fun, and funny, a great movie to share with the family. Second, becoming a Rueby Wood fan right now will make sure you will not miss a moment from a performer who is already a master of comedy, drama, singing, and dancing. Now playing on Disney+.
Review of Better Nate Than Ever
