Better Nate Than Ever is exactly what Disney Plus needed

polygon.com:

Amid the rather dull slate of Disney Plus original movies,Better Nate Than Ever finally brings some much-needed pizazz. Maybe it’s no surprise that a movie about the consummate theater kid is full of sparkling showmanship. And perhaps it’s no surprise that the movie was written and directed by High School Musical: The Musical: The Series showrunner Tim Federle, who already proved his theater-kid sensibilities with that Disney Plus series. But Better Nate Than Ever — based on Federle’s debut novel — shines from beginning to end, with a stellar central character and just the right amount of whimsy and reality.

[Ed. note: This review contains slight setup spoilers for Better Nate Than Ever.]

Nate Foster (newcomer Rueby Wood) is a passionate theater kid who just can’t catch his big break in any of the stage productions at his middle school. With his parents away for the weekend, Nate and his best friend Libby (Aria Brooks) decide to take a chance and run away to New York to audition for a Broadway version of Lilo and Stitch. Making it in the big city isn’t as glamorous or as easy as the musicals paint it to be, but Nate is determined to see his dream through, in spite of the mounting odds against him. In New York, he reunites with his estranged Aunt Heidi (Lisa Kudrow), who’s been trying to make it as an actress for years. Meanwhile, Nate also tries to keep his high-schooler brother Anthony (Joshua Bassett) from finding out he even left town at all.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Better Nate Than Ever isn’t an unabashedly goofy and indulgent Disney Channel Original Movie. It has more budget and polish than the likes of High School Musical, Camp Rock, and Lemonade Mouth. But unlike other Disney Plus Originals, Better