Old Dads (2023) was released to Netflix this past October and is the directorial debut of popular comedian Bill Burr. Burr likewise stars alongside costars Bobby Cannavale, Bokeem Woodbine, Katie Aselton, and Miles Robbins. The film follows three friends/dads who after their company is bought out are forced to come to terms with the changing culture/values of the younger generation. The friends then go through various experiences together or otherwise that lead them to see the flaws in the modern generation while likewise rediscovering what was so great about their generation in the first place. This is nicely balanced out by the idea that this goes both ways for every pair of generations. The film perfectly comes to the conclusion that every generation has its own specific strengths and weaknesses and the only mistake would be attempting to discount the good of any given generation simply because of their flaws. In that way, the messaging here was much more balanced than I was expecting when only knowing Bill Burr from his standup. All this being said, this is not a particularly good film. The good jokes are mostly cut from the same cloth while anything that breaks that mold falls a bit flat. As well, the dramatic storyline attached to the comedy is mostly centered around cliche domestic fatigue. It’s such an unoriginal element to add to this type of comedy that it really hurts almost every other aspect.

Bill Burr pretty much plays exactly who he is in real life, but it works here. The character seems tailored for his true personality so it does really make sense to comment on it in terms of acting quality. Bobby Cannavale doesn’t really do anything new, but has some of the better jokes in the film. There’s a funny through line that features him trying to decipher as well as correctly implement the slang of the younger generation. Bokeem Woodbine plays the “straight man” character and like the rest of the supporting cast is just serviceable enough to not criticize or praise. Though, Miles Robbins plays a sort of caricatured version of a young CEO character. He’s Millennial/Gen Z in all the worst ways. It is somewhat grating in terms of believability, but the fun zaniness of the character balances things out. 

The comedy is mostly based around jokes that sort of deconstruct the sometimes absurd/backwards ways we feel as if we’re expected to operate within society. I could see some audiences feeling uncomfortable with these jokes, but that’s because those are exactly the audiences this movie takes shots at. The thing is, sometimes the portrayals of the younger generation go too far in terms of caricature. When the characters the jokes are directed at feel too cartoonish and unrealistic, the jokes in turn fall flat. When those jokes are directed at the certain characters that feel real, the jokes hit. The punchlines for the good jokes often depend on us saying something to ourselves along the lines “Yeah, I’ve had to deal with someone like that. I wished I would’ve told them off.” The thing is, when we can’t relate to the character being made fun of, there’s a sort of palpable disconnect. 

Overall, the film works better as a mirror to our society than as a straightforward comedy or drama. The acting isn’t anything special but also not particularly awful either. The dramatic elements fall flat and the film isn’t half as funny as it should be. Though, the themes are fleshed out effectively and it held a more balanced opinion on the whole culture war debate than I was expecting. If you like Bill Burr and the message of his comedy, I think you’ll find enough elements to like here. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and there’s enough energy to never be boring. If you’re not a huge fan of Bill Burr’s comedy, you can safely skip it. C