Rating: Empty

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Studios: Netflix/Columbus 81 Productions

Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Max Greenfield, Hugh Grant and Amy Schumer

Director: Jerry Seinfeld

Writers: Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, Andy Robin and Jerry Seinfeld

Producers: Beau Bauman, Spike Feresten and Jerry Seinfeld

Music by: Christophe Beck

Rated: PG-13 for some suggestive references and language

Release Date: 05/03/24

Runtime: 1h 33m

Tagline: A Pop-Tart will rise

Favorite Character: Bob Cabana

Quote: N/A

Fun Fact: It wasn’t confirmed in the credits but doesn’t take a genius to figure that Jon Hamm and John Slattery probably reprise their ‘Mad Men’ roles in one scene

The Review: I don’t know if you know this before, but people everywhere had considered Pop Tarts one of the most unhealthiest breakfast items for your body as it is very processed and has no actual nutrients. Unfortunally, that is also what iconic comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s first directorial film is.

Sure, he has landed in his high point in the 90s with his TV show and while his animated ‘Bee Movie’ may have received mediocre reviews, it did gain a cult following. And although I have never seen any his works, one thing for sure, his so called ‘Biopic’ here just happened to be his low point.

It was a good idea for Seinfeld to get put into the director’s chair. It’s also acceptable to make a biopic on how Pop Tarts are made. But as I found out, putting those two together is a lot like pouring orange juice instead of milk in your cereal.

In the 1960’s America, Bob Cabana (Seinfeld) was telling the runaway boy in a diner about how he had invented America’s favorite pastry with his twisted version of a ‘true story’ From the way it’s going, the comic the boy read on the back of the box earlier sounds like it would be way more accurate than what we’re about to see.

Landing in the flashback all the way until the end is the good ol days of 1960’s America in Battle Creek, Michigan home of the famous battle of the cereals between Kellogg’s and Post. Seinfeld at first acts like any father from a black and white TV show, kissing his wife goodbye and drove off to work (which is at Kellogg’s in case you didn’t know). by that time, the nostalgia was cut down by half.

Bob and his boss Edsel Kellogg III (Jim Gaffigan) are very upset that the CEO of their rival company (real life person played by Amy Schumer) stole their latest product idea. That very idea that was made by their former worker Donna Stancowski (Melissa McCarthy) who couldn’t help that much because she now working for NASA. That is until Bob comes in to hire her back.

Now as you know, I am not gonna yell at Netflix for adding fictional characters to the true story. I really think it is a great idea to create a realistic fictional characters just so they can match the actor’s likeness rather than try to get a certain British actor (ahem, Hugh Grant) to insult the great gruff-voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft.

It was actually so disappointing in how the trailer gave us a false advertising, claiming it’s going to be this year’s own Flamin Hot. Instead what we have is Seinfeld botching the feel of the biopic by making everything up along the whole film. In fact, I just happened to read that Seinfeld claimed that he didn’t get permission from Kellogg’s to use their products and characters, making it way more obvious that he made the movie as a joke.

Once the movie is finished, I lost my trust in Seinfeld doing anymore biopics because he has just proved that he cannot try to be serious without rushing everything with endless breakfast jokes and adding a few disgusting pitches (like creamed Corn Pops). I do have to admit, it is still a little entertaining with the breakfast jokes if you want to laugh at how terrible the movie is.