Schmear Hunter's Brainwash [84]
Unpacking the Hype, Elevating the Unknown: 'The Rehearsal' S2 and 'Nonnas'
Thanks for reading The Schmear Hunter! If you like this newsletter, consider supporting it with a paid subscription: $5/month or $50 a year 🥯🎞️
Hunters,
On the SchmearCast this week, I was joined by Sena Adjei for a check-in on The Last of Us. We covered episodes 2-4, sorting out our thoughts about that Ep 2 shocker and where we’re at with the series in this second season so far. After that, we gave some quick thoughts on new Marvel film Thunderbolts*
Also this week, Dan Monaghan (Reel Takes) and I analyzed Andor S2 E7-9. The show elevated to brilliant new heights with this latest batch. Episodes 8 and 9 in particular currently sit on IMDb with 9.8/10 ratings, and I concur completely — this season has been masterful.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube
Let’s get into today’s edition:
The Unknown
The Rehearsal S2 (TV) - Nathan Fielder is back plumbing the depths of human psychology in surreal, and oddly touching new ways
Nonnas (Movie): Vince Vaughn opens an Italian restaurant with a quartet of grannies in this heartwarming, food-centric film
The Rehearsal (Max)
What’s it about? Nathan Fielder gives people a chance to rehearse for their own lives in a world where nothing ever works out as expected.
Who it’s for? Fans of Nathan Fielder’s singular comedy style, viewers who enjoy surreal storytelling, people fascinated by human psychology, those who like their comedy mixed with existential dread
Who should avoid? Anyone turned off by cringe comedy, those expecting straightforward laughs, people who disliked The Rehearsal S1, audiences who dislike experimentation
Watch if you like: Nathan for You, The Curse, Adaptation, Bo Burnham: Inside, How To With John Wilson
News and Notes:
Three episodes released so far
6-episode season
Schmear’s Verdict: Still mind-bending and darkly funny, The Rehearsal Season 2 surprises with a quietly profound warmth, as Nathan Fielder’s surreal experiments edge toward empathy over cynicism.
Nathan Fielder shocked the world with The Rehearsal in 2022, to the delight of many—and the frustration of many more. I’ve talked to as many people who disliked it or were actively turned off by it as those who loved it and thought it was brilliant. I fall into the latter camp. But even I felt that the obtuse nature of that first season, its inherent darkness, left you feeling icky—in that brilliant way that makes you question your own existentialism and life itself.
Similar themes carried over into The Curse in late 2023, which I adored. I thought it was brilliant and prescient—but undeniably hard to watch. The series featured nasty people doing terrible things in third-rail situations about wealth disparity, racism, or other hot-button issues.
That’s why I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the new season of The Rehearsal across its first three episodes. It starts with an extremely dark premise: Nathan investigating the causes of commercial airline crashes. But whether something’s softened in Nathan or he’s just a tuning fork to what we need right now, it feels like this season is genuinely sentimental and heartwarming in a well-earned way.
That sounds ridiculous when, in one episode, Nathan plays Sully Sullenberger as a baby sucking milk from a giant papier-mâché doll’s breast. But I feel like Nathan is excavating humanity and displaying it in a way that broadens our horizons and makes us more thoughtful.
His comedy has always been so attuned to the weird, fragile dynamics between people and how easily relationships fray. But through three episodes, The Rehearsal Season 2 feels like it’s digging deeper in an attempt to connect and empathize.
And it feels right. It’s still a headfuck. I was honestly loath to dive in, knowing how much The Curse unnerved me and knowing how trippy Season 1 of The Rehearsal was. Yet amidst the Charlie Kaufman-esque features, I’ve been struck by how heartwarming it is.
Nathan’s smartly hitting on something sadly obvious: the human tendency not to listen to each other. Every cockpit crash he investigates seems to come down to the same thing—a pilot shutting down a co-pilot, usually through ego, and a co-pilot who doesn’t feel confident enough to push back. And an accident follows.
It’s a timely topic to explore right now, especially when our collective fear of aviation disasters feels higher than ever. I’m not sure anyone—short of psychiatrists or psychologists—is so expertly, strangely analyzing what makes us tick as humans and pushing it to such extreme, mind-bending lengths.
I’m sure even crazier moments are coming, but I think Nathan’s coming out on the side of positivity and empathy is profound for someone usually so cynical and deadpan.
Nonnas (Netflix)
What’s it about? After losing his beloved mother, a man risks everything to honor her by opening an Italian restaurant with actual grandmothers as the chefs.
Who it’s for? Vince Vaughn fans, viewers who love food-centric and feel good films, Italian Americans, if you like predictable but heartfelt watches
Who should avoid? If you’re seeking something bold and original, if you’re allergic to sentimentality, if you dislike trope-heavy plots
Watch if you like: Chef, Moonstruck, The Bear, The Book Club, 80 for Brady
News and Notes:
Released today
Schmear’s Verdict: Familiar to a fault but carried by genuine warmth, Nonnas is a slight, satisfying comfort watch elevated by its winning ensemble.
There are some low-key charms to be found on Netflix. Even though, if you read this newsletter, you know I’m usually chasing something dark and impactful, sometimes even I need a break. That kind of respite arrives with warmth and feeling in Nonnas, the new film from Stephen Chbosky, director of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It’s the perfect vehicle for Vince Vaughn, who — after decades as a funnyman — has become an unexpectedly moving presence, bringing a surprising, touching warmth to the screen.
Vaughn plays an Italian-American man in NYC grieving the death of his mother, a woman who once united the neighborhood through her cooking. With her life insurance money, he decides to open a restaurant — even though he knows nothing about cooking or running one. His solution? Recruit the local Nonnas, Italian grandmothers, to take over the kitchen, believing their homegrown touch will fill the space with real heart and community. The film is inspired by the true story of Enoteca Maria, a real Staten Island restaurant famous for its rotating lineup of grandmothers cooking regional dishes.
It’s an earnest, heart-on-its-sleeve film. Beat for beat, it’s predictable, but there’s genuine pleasure in watching familiar tropes play out sincerely. Think The Bear meets Chef, but with the Italian gusto of Moonstruck. Much of the film’s success rests on Vaughn, whose gentle, amiable presence anchors the story. We carry decades of affection for him, and here he turns that charm inward, delivering something softer and more reflective.
The supporting cast is equally terrific. The Nonnas are played by Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire, Lorraine Bracco, and Brenda Vaccaro — a lineup of spitfire grandmothers, full of sass and sweetness, each finding late-in-life purpose in this mission. Familiar faces like Joe Manganiello and Drea de Matteo round out the ensemble, while Linda Cardellini shines as Vaughn’s love interest.
Nonnas isn’t trying to change the world, but it’s a sweet, low-stakes delight — a kind of movie we rarely get these days. It’s a comforting, tasty treat, as satisfying as a good red sauce, and hard to resist. Even if you’ve seen this story or its tropes before, that only enhances its solid, endearing charm. For anyone in need of a little lift — Italian-Americans, food lovers, or fans of easygoing, feel-good tales — Nonnas is a quiet, well-earned winner.
Thanks for reading!