‘Old Dads’ Review: Bill Burr’s Serviceable, Shticky Netflix Comedy Is One for the Fans

Bill Burr doesn’t exactly test himself in terms of acting with his leading role in his new film, which he also co-wrote, produced and directed. The wry comedian, who makes WC Fields seem like a paragon of tolerance, plays a (hopefully) exaggerated version of himself Old fathersabout three middle-aged men dealing with a politically correct society in which their old-fashioned attitudes turn them into dinosaurs.

The film premiering on Netflix is ​​predictable in just about every way, but Burr’s well-honed comedic style and funny jokes should make it especially popular among boys of a certain age, especially if they have plenty of beer and pizza on hand.

Inspired by Burr and co-screenwriter Ben Tishler’s experiences becoming a father later in life, the film centers on best friends and business partners Jack (Burr), Connor (Bobby Cannavale) and Mike (Bokeem Woodbine). The three are sidelined after selling their vintage sports jersey company to Aspen (Miles Robbins), a millennial, self-proclaimed “disruptor” who makes it his first order of business to fire everyone in the company born before 1988.

The three friends also face personal problems. 51-year-old Jack, who became a father for the first time at the age of 46, is married to the younger Leah (Katie Aselton), who is now pregnant with their second child. Connor’s young son has major impulse control problems because his wife (Jackie Tohn) indulges him too much. And Mike is dating the decades-younger Britney (Reign Edwards), who tells him she’s pregnant despite him having a vasectomy. Jack and Connor try to comfort him by complimenting him on his masculinity, pointing out, “That’s something Brave heartsemen level.”

That line is indicative of the overall humor level of the film, as are the three men having a spirited discussion about a sex fantasy with former First Lady Barbara Bush and pop singer Samantha Fox (you really have to be of a certain age to appreciate all the films) . the jokes).

Jack is the proverbial bull in the china shop, unable to leave the house without being annoyed by modern phenomena such as speeding e-scooter riders and self-righteous vapers. And don’t get him started on social media, over which he has an arsenal of profane insults. He’s also not above deliberately tripping a little boy, nor informing the obnoxious principal (Rachael-Harris) of his child’s preschool that she’s a “stupid CT.”

Old fathers is amusing enough while making a barrage of jokes about the culture clash between younger and older generations (I especially got a kick out of Jack responding to the mocking “OK boomer” by angrily emphasizing that he is “Generation X!”). But it backfires when more ambitious plot elements are attempted, such as the friends trying to recruit an eccentric recluse living off the grid to serve as the company’s new “brand ambassador” (C. Thomas Howell, in a role funnier in concept rather than in progress), or being fired due to a ‘morality clause’ after their politically incorrect rants are secretly recorded.

Some scenes are so pro forma that they seem to emerge from an algorithm, like a mandatory strip club excursion that offers the opportunity for some female nudity. Or the inevitable moment when Jack tries to rush to the hospital before his wife goes into labor, unaided by an irascible older Uber driver (Bruce Dern, now in the Walter Brennan phase of his career), who dismissively informs him that when are baby was born, he was sitting in a bar drinking beer and eating fried mussels.

If you find Burr’s stand-up routines funny (and since he routinely sells out arenas, it’s clear a lot of people do), you’ll enjoy Old fathers, which also benefits from Cannavale’s hilariously beleaguered reactions, Woodbine’s solid underplaying, and some very funny turns from several comedians in small roles. The film so accurately translates Burr’s comedic personality into cinematic terms that it could serve as the opening act for his live performances.