‘Ponderosa’ Review – Promising, Uncomfortable Parental Comedy Does Not Reach Its Potential [Tribeca 2026]

One of the many great things about smaller movies at festivals is that they tend to be riskier and push the envelope much further. There is little to no concern about “who this movie is for” or being a four-quadrant crowd pleaser. And let’s be honest, as an art form, film needs more of that attitude. There is a particular rut, especially among big-budget films, that studios have become stuck in, and they are starting to actually pay the price for that. Movies that used to be guaranteed billion-dollar money machines are being outdone by YouTubers-turned-directors who cost much less and take many more chances. These movies are, by definition, high risk, high reward, and there are very few that make it to true greatness. Unfortunately, Ponderosa is not an exception.

Ponderosa, written and directed by Rob Rice, focuses on Zeke (Jack Dylan Grazer), a young man who is a bit adrift, seemingly walking through life more by feel than by plan. His only clear connection is with his mother, Sandra (Alexis Bledel), a single parent working at The Ponderosa, a local buffet restaurant. Zeke is noticed by a patron of the restaurant, George (Bill Camp), who works in corporate real estate and wants to help Zeke find his way. Camp, who is always tremendous, repeats that quality here, in a difficult role that calls on him to not be a “that guy” steady actor, but one that becomes increasingly both unhinged and mysterious. 

Unfortunately, the script decides to tease the audience with drops of information, and it becomes noticeable that this mystery is more because there is no solid answer as opposed to a reveal. There are technical reveals later, meant to shock, but they are more likely to induce eyerolls or quizzical looks. The film is at its best when it is analyzing generational differences. Zeke lives most of his life through the screen of his phone, whereas George is more interested in guiding him towards building something with his hands. The phone, for George, is a last resort for advice. He is being guided by some hazily defined group to take on a “son,” and Zeke is his target. Sadly, the film never does the work of providing reasons why this would be necessary or even exploring why Zeke would go along with any of these day trips, besides being bored. 

Dylan Grazer is serviceable here, but it feels as if this should have been cast with an actor with more charisma. As an actor, he is best when in supporting roles in which he is able to provide a wry sense of humor to lighten heavy moods. Here, he is asked to be the character we root for, to understand. And at that, the film and the performance are a bit of a mixed bag. Ponderosa also nearly wastes Bledel in a minuscule role. She has essentially one scene face-to-face with Camp, and this is one of the high points. Two intensely likeable actors holding the gaze of the camera with pure emotion, gravitas, and care. It is a real shame that there is no repeat of this and that the film essentially turns her into a bit of a naive fool in a later scene.

Ponderosa is also trying to thread a very narrow needle with this film. Uncomfortable humor is notoriously difficult to nail. Besides a moment involving George not understanding high-level thinking from his handler, there is very little that draws a laugh. Frankly, it has the worst of those worlds. The audience can see Rice wanting them to laugh, but he never provides anything worthy of that reaction. It is much more of “I can see why that would be funny” as opposed to drawing the laugh out of the audience. As an idea, Bill Camp playing a lead role where he is forcing himself on a young person as a father figure has a lot of potential, but much of it is squandered here. Almost as if Rice realizes it, the last moments of the film try to pull us back into its corner with the aforementioned reveals that land with a thud.

Ponderosa is a movie that has moments in which you can see the bones of excellent ideas that could be quite a good film. I applaud the risks, I love the casting of Camp and Bledel, the cinematography from Barton Cortwright sets the exact right setting and tone, and I even love the idea of analyzing America generationally. Regrettably, the film is wrong-footed about half the time, and it becomes impossible to be completely bought in on its ideas.

Ponderosa held its World Premiere as a part of the U.S. Narrative Competition section of the 2026 Tribeca Festival.

Director: Rob Rice

Screenwriter: Rob Rice

Rated: NR

Runtime: 90m