We all do it. We compare ourselves to our friends, coworkers, maybe even family members. It’s human nature. Heck, I’ve been guilty of doing that a lot lately. Mike White’s film, Brad’s Status, dives head first into this concept.

The film follows Brad (Ben Stiller) a middle-class guy who has a career in non-profit work. His wife (Jenna Fischer) works in government and they have a son (Austin Abrams) primed for college. Brad agrees to go on a trip with his son to tour colleges on the East Coast, but the trip ends up being much more than that. He meets up with an old college friend on the trip who makes him feel inferior by comparison, given his life decisions. What Brad learns, however, is that the idea of a successful life is always in the eye of the beholder.

I loved this film. No, genuinely loved. As I said in the opening, we’re all guilty of comparing ourselves to others. Stacking ourselves against our friends, coworkers, what have you to see if we make the cut. I do that a lot and have had a particular gnarly time with it as of late. As humans, we are wrapped up in the ideal that we have to outdo our counterparts. Friends, success in life can be measured in a myriad of ways. It’s your life, first and foremost. Now, I’m no life coach or anything but, If you’re happy with your life and/or the choices you have made, that is what makes it a success. Brad’s Status reminds us all of this important lesson.

I Give It An: A

Check Out the Trailer Here