Bill Burr is one of the best stand-up comics in the world, and he’s a fine character actor as evidenced by his solid turns on “Breaking Bad” and in “The King of Staten Island,” which makes it all the more disappointing that Burr’s Netflix original film “Old Dads” is such lukewarm, bet-hedging, predictable fare. Given the unapologetic, sharp-edged tone of Burr’s comedy, it’s surprising that as director, co-writer and star of this vehicle, he played it so safe.
The setup of “Old Dads” holds promise. Burr’s Jack is a 50ish guy who became a dad relatively late in life, with his funny, smart, beautiful and long-suffering wife Leah (the always wonderful Katie Aselton) now expecting their second child. Jack’s best friends and business partners, Bobby Canavale’s Connor and Bokeem Woodbine’s Mike, are in similar situations and have similar worldviews, i.e., they have little patience for millennials and Gen Z and still think it’s funny to crack jokes about stuff you’re not supposed to be joking about in 2023. When a younger dad tries to offer Jack some parenting advice, Jack responds, “Listen, I’m trying to raise a little man here, not a f---ing p----.” So why don’t you go back to your hard seltzer and go on Twitter and share the story where you’re the hero?”
