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Brother Nature

Brother Nature

Crazy is relative

201697 minRMidcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Directors
Matt Villines, Oz Rodriguez
Starring
Taran Killam, Gillian Jacobs, Bobby Moynihan, Sarah Burns

Roger, a straight-laced politician has big plans to propose to his dream girl at her family's lake house. But everything goes awry when he meets his potential brother-in-law Todd: a full-time camp counselor with a heart of gold and a wild sense of fun, pining to be Roger's best friend, and ultimately catapulting him into a series of unfortunate events. As Roger tries to take a stand amidst outrageous fishing excursions, propulsive water jetpacks and American history-themed musicals, he realizes that being a part of a new family may be more difficult than he'd thought.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Brother Nature?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Brother Nature to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Brother Nature?

Brother Nature earns 1 badge: Fun.

Reception

Is Brother Nature worth watching?

Brother Nature's Midcredits score is the 14th percentile of all films, from 2.7K ratings across 5 sources. 19% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

14th percentile

Better received than 14% of films

14th percentile among Comedy15th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)7th

53 /100

25th percentile of all films

25th percentile among Comedy27th percentile among 2010s

Critics 53 · Audience 53

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

19% liked it

7th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Comedy7th percentile among 2010s
19% rated it 7–1081% rated it 1–6

Critics 57% · Audience 28%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

72nd percentile

2.7K ratings across platforms

68th percentile among Comedy74th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 36% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$9.7K
Domestic gross$14K
Worldwide gross$14K

10th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Bobby Moynihan's performance stands out and is hilarious
  • Understated humor from Kumail Nanjiani
  • Cast plays off each other well with witty one-liners

Detractors panned

  • Main character Todd is annoying and unfunny, not endearing like Farley
  • Formulaic and derivative of better comedies
  • Stereotypical one-dimensional characters with weak dialogue

What stands out

ActingDivisive55

Moynihan showboats but grates; Killam bland lead; Nanjiani a bright spot

HumorDivisive45

Genuinely funny moments undermined by overdone shtick

DialogueDivisive45

Some witty one-liners but often clichéd

Pacing40

Second half missteps and becomes grating

CharactersDivisive35

Todd obnoxious and one-note; Riggleman underused

EndingDivisive35

Safe 180 feels tacked on and unsatisfying

Plot and story30

Derivative cabin comedy of errors with safe ending

Originality20

Unoriginal remake of The Great Outdoors and Meet the Parents

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Brother Nature like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It is gentle and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
JoyfulAbsurdContemplative
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its broad comedy straight, with a sincere but exasperated lead and a hyperbolic performance from Moynihan, aiming for laughs rather than irony.
The rideThe film is primarily lighthearted and silly, with absurd comedic set pieces, though the protagonist's frustration may build to a more contemplative moment before resolution.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear weekend timeline, following Roger's attempts to propose amid escalating family chaos.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe film aims for a light, feel-good ending with the couple together and misunderstandings resolved, though the journey is uneven.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA straight-laced man's weekend plans to propose are derailed by his girlfriend's eccentric family, especially an overbearing potential brother-in-law, leading to a series of misunderstandings and mishaps.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsRomantic love · 15% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a man trying to win approval from his girlfriend's family, exploring the challenge of integrating into a new family dynamic while pursuing a romantic relationship.
StanceThe film neutrally observes a man's attempt to join a new family, with low stakes and a lighthearted tone, neither celebrating nor critiquing the family dynamics strongly.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Mark Maxwell
SettingA lake house weekend getaway with an eccentric family
MusicThe score likely provides upbeat, comedic accompaniment to the mishaps.

Content guide

Is Brother Nature okay for kids?

R

Brother Nature is rated R.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • RO12
  • Sweden11

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Brother Nature have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Brother Nature?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Taran Killam
as Roger Fellner
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gillian Jacobs
as Gwen Turley
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bobby Moynihan
as Todd Dotchman
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Sarah Burns
as Margie Turley
Bill Pullman
as Jerry Turley
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rita Wilson
as Cathy Turley
Rachael Harris
as Aunt Pam
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
David Wain
as Uncle Mel
Michael Patrick O'Brien
as Nick (Karaoke)
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kumail Nanjiani
as Riggleman
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Brother Nature?

Movies like Brother Nature include The Week Of (2018), Freaky Friday (2003) and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, several are comedies of errors, and several are odd-couple stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Brother Nature?

2.6K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: odd couple. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.