“Old Dads” Review

(From Left) Bobby Cannavale, Bokeem Woodbine and Bill Burr star in “Old Dads”, Burr’s directorial debut that sees the three play aging parents dealing with life’s struggles.

One of my favorite modern comedians is the great Bill Burr. While, at first, seeming like a one trick pony, having this persona as a rage-fueled old man, Bill Burr’s clever story-telling, sharp social commentary and mix of disgruntlement with sincerity have made him a star amongst 21st century comedy. Not only are his stand-up specials essential viewing every time one is released, but he’s also made quite the impression in other ventures such as his “Monday Morning Podcast” and his numerous acting appearances. 

Now, Burr has released “Old Dads”, a Netflix original film directed by, cowritten by, produced by and starring Burr and I had much anticipation for the film even though comedians making semi-autobiographical films has been a subgenre of varying quality. There are some masterpieces like “The Big Sick” (Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon), some failures like “Easter Sunday” (Jo Koy) and those somewhere in between like “About My Father” (Sebastian Maniscalco). “Old Dads” is one of those films that definitely falls in the middle with nothing unbearable but also nothing that really shows off Burr’s talents. For Burr’s directorial debut, there was much to be desired. 

Jack Kelly (Bill Burr) seems to have a pretty solid life as a happily married man with a supportive wife (Katie Aselton), an adoring young son (Dash McCloud) and another baby on the way. However, Jack’s biggest weakness is his anger which has been tested frequently as of late. The company that he founded with his best friends Connor and Mike (Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine) has been sold to millennials, he thinks the new-age principal (Rachael Harris) of his son’s private school is a condescending nutjob and, as someone who became a father later in life, he feels out of place and out of touch with many of his peers. As more and more elements creep into his life that fuel his general contempt, Jack must decide what kind of example he wants to set not just for his family and his friends but for himself. 

Based on this summary, it’s pretty clear what the biggest problem with the film's story is: it’s difficult to figure out what the main dilemma is. There’s a strong idea about trying to better yourself but it’s bogged down by too many plot points that feel more like recycled comedic bits. “Old Dads” has several opportunities to pick a direction to take the story but instead decides to keep rolling the dice to find another conflict for Jack and his buddies to explore. Had the film just focused on being a dad and what it means, it would have been much stronger and, when “Old Dads” does take that route, the film really works for me. There’s a wonderful scene near the end of the film where, without giving anything away, Jack and his six-year-old son have a nice moment that got me emotional. 

However, that’s not what the film is about and there’s just too much going on in the film’s one-hour-and-44-minute runtime to get invested in every subplot. I think that “Old Dads” is trying to be this wild film where different conflicts appear at different points of time, both mirroring life and comedically distorting it. But unlike films that also do this, whether it’s in a more serious manner like “The Sandlot” or an over-the-top-setting like “The Big Lebowski”, “Old Dads” waits until the last minute to resolve so many of the issues that make Jack’s life in suburban Los Angeles a living hell. 

While I was hoping for a great film from someone with Bill Burr’s capabilities, I can’t say that I regret seeing “Old Dads” or that I even disliked it. After all, I am a massive fan of Burr’s and, aside from appreciating the fact that this guy made a movie, there are scenes and aspects of the film that did keep me watching. 

Obviously Bill Burr has plenty of experience acting and uses his talents accordingly. I’ve seen plenty of comedies where I didn't get a single laugh but “Old Dads” did get quite a few out of me. I found that the film’s funniest scenes were just Burr, Cannavale and Woodbine shooting the shit and exchanging banter while talking about their problems. It felt natural and free of the story’s constraints. There are also moments where it feels that Burr’s stand-up side has overpowered his filmmaking side. But I like his stand-up so I didn’t mind those detours. One of the best examples of this is when, after making an obscene comment, Jack tries to apologize and smooth things over with everyone only to unintentionally make things worse. It’s the kind of bit you’d expect from Burr but he just does it so damn well. 

Bill Burr has proven time and time again that he is insanely talented as a comedian, actor (“The King of Staten Island” and “The Mandalorian”) and creative force (“F is for Family”) but “Old Dads” just isn’t the film to showcase his gifts. Not that the film isn’t entertaining but it doesn’t live up to everything else he’s done. Your enjoyment of the film is definitely going to depend on your pre-existing thoughts on Burr. If you don’t like his style of comedy or just aren’t familiar with his work, then this is probably not the film for you. But if you are a fan, then I think you might find the film enjoyable enough.