Suradit Without much in the way of supporting evidence, we are expected to accept: (a) some mutual admiration society spontaneously formed between a naive gay boy-man and some older challenged woman with no discernible personality, (b) that Margaret could manage as a stand-up comic while being rather slow-witted and inarticulate throughout the movie, (c) that Tyler and James could bond and then their relationship could self-destruct so rapidly.I'm not saying these improbable situations might not have arisen in reality, but nothing was done to make them seem real & plausible to the viewer. It may be easy to see why Margaret would be drawn to friendship with a cute young man given that she appears to be otherwise friendless, but that he would not have formed more important & natural friendships at college with peers seems improbable since he does seem to have some normal social skills, is decidedly attractive & good natured, and there's nothing maternal or supportive coming from Margaret to warrant more than an incidental acquaintance between the two.Without revealing too much detail about the pivotal event in their relationship, when Nate becomes very frustrated & agitated and goes into rant mode directed at Margaret, it seemed that that gun was cocked & loaded and ready to be fired for quite awhile. The alleged love and respect he felt for Margaret must not have run very deep considering the volley he lets loose at her, making the film ending all the more implausible.Much too much of the film is given over to the supposed development of Margaret's stand-up skills over time. Again, any evidence that progress is being made is totally lacking. She seemed as unfunny when the talent scout approached her as she did when she first appeared before stunned audiences of one or two. Her insipid material and mousy delivery did not justify more than a yawn and a rush to the exits.The whole Nate and James thing was poorly developed both as a relationship between the two and as a wedge between Nate & Margaret.To sell the Nate and Margaret pairing, more proof of their dependence on one another needed to be developed to convince viewers, and the Margaret character needed to have some believable substance. It would all still have been somewhat incredible, but it might at least have engendered a sympathetic response from some in the audience. An annoying waste of time with little to redeem it.

olliemankz Well, folks, I gotta say ... I was taught the theatrical definition of "comedy" a long time ago, and, basically, it's "all's well that ends well." The rest is tragedy.So I believe that this is a comedy, both in the strictest sense of the word, and, I think, too, in the enjoyment of the film. I agree with so many others here, this is a movie that stays with you. I've seen a lot of good movies this year, not all made this year but popping up on Netflix for my viewing pleasure: Extract, Butter, Price Check -- all for some reason revolving around food, Satisfaction Not Guaranteed ... the list goes on and on. No, this one is not a thigh-slapper, but then neither is the comedy of the main female character ... perhaps the one stretch is to think that her shtick could make it. Yet I think it is so endearing, and Natalie West underplays her roles so well, that is not beyond reality at all. I can't say this is a great movie yet ... time will tell how it sits. But it certainly is sweet.

orosiefactor1959 Nate & Margaret is that rare combination of writing with intelligence, acting with depth, and direction with a storyteller's sensibility.In these days of billion dollar blockbusters with interchangeable 'big name' stars, story lines driven by special effects, and direction as excessive as the decibel level of the soundtrack, it is refreshing to find a 'little' film that has chosen the path less traveled.Veteran actress Natalie West gives us a quirky, cranky and ultimately irresistible Margaret, an eccentric 52 year old pursuing her dream of becoming a stand up comic. Tyler Ross plays Margaret's unlikely best friend, Nate, a 19 year old film student. Ross' performance bubbling with boyish charm and enthusiasm provides the perfect counterbalance to West's world weary curmudgeon. The supporting cast of characters are all well drawn and completely relatable. We know these people; we love these people; we are these people.Nathan Adloff handles his big screen directorial debut (he also wrote and produced the film) with a combination of wit and tenderness that elevates what could have been a cute coming of age story to really fine filmmaking that makes me anxious to see what he has up his sleeve for his sophomore outing.No, Nate & Margaret won't send you into sensory overload, but it will steal your heart.

darkeyes9090 I enjoyed this little film more than most everything else I have seen this year. The direction, camera work, casting, writing are all well done. The chemistry between the actors is evocative. The story, as one reviewer said, could use another 20 minutes filling out the female lead's actions. But, at the same time, one of the great qualities of this film is the actor's ability to inform us through their presentation of characters. So many films and TV series depend on long laborious telling of a character's backstory to let us know who they are. With this film's level of writing and the actor's ability to present their characters, they fill in much of that for you without it needing to be spelled out for you.What I liked most, was just watching a story that was interesting, touching and well presented, avoiding the two dimensional predictability of so much of what is being churned out of a production line industry.