Film Review: Netflix’s ‘Old Dads’ Repetitively Rehashes Outdated Cultural Complaints and Marks a Low Point in Bill Burr’s Career

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The latest Netflix offering, “Old Dads,” suffers from a misnomer. A more accurate title might be “Old Dads Shouting at the Sky” or “Old Dads Venting at QR Codes.” The film caters to an audience who struggle with the streaming service’s interface and proceed to lay the blame on the younger, “woke” generation.

Directed by Bill Burr, who also co-wrote the script with Ben Tishler, the film offers a lackluster and humorless critique of political correctness. It echoes the sentiments found in 1990s works like “Illiberal Education” by Dinesh D’Souza and the outspoken diatribes of Pat Buchanan. The film’s stale nature is underscored by a conspicuous reference to Halliburton.

The film opens with the Miramax logo and the strains of a rock guitar solo, both of which signify a retreat to an era when ridiculing the sizes of Starbucks cups was considered amusing.

In the film, Burr portrays a 51-year-old father who is expecting a second child. He incessantly complains about modern inconveniences such as the dearth of parking spaces, electric scooters, early childhood education norms, social media, emotional intelligence education, vaping, and paper straws. This hardly constitutes groundbreaking comedy.

Burr is joined by Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine, whose onscreen personas are similarly tarnished through their participation in this film, as they lampoon topics like transgender identity and the concept of privilege.

In one interaction, a younger character accuses Burr of being dated and disconnected, to which Burr retorts by citing the younger generation’s penchant for filming trivial activities like water bottle flipping.

As the film progresses, the characters encounter a new, 28-year-old boss who considers himself an innovator. This does nothing but inflame their ire, already stoked by baiting comments and a reluctance to adapt to modern sensibilities.

The film delves into the pitfalls of the characters’ personal lives as well, with relationships strained and spousal dynamics becoming tense. Burr’s character exemplifies a Gen-Xer who is defiantly confrontational, choosing to lash out without regard for the fallout. His actions lead to tensions within his family, particularly with his expectant wife.

In a particularly distasteful sequence, the older characters attempt to goad a younger individual into using a racial slur, ostensibly to highlight generational hypocrisy. This scene not only fails in its aim but also borrows its concept from another Netflix film, “You People.”

The movie’s nadir perhaps occurs in a strip club, where the characters arrive at self-realizations—though not of the kind that would make them better human beings. Instead, they accept their inability to change, concluding that it’s too late to teach an old dog new tricks.

In summary, the film “Old Dads,” available for streaming on Netflix as of this Friday, is rated R for “extensive coarse language, sexual content, nudity, and brief substance abuse.” With a runtime of 104 minutes, it earns a rating of zero out of four stars.

For those considering whether to invest their time in this film, it may be more rewarding to spend those 100 minutes watching water bottles ascend and descend in the air.

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More about Netflix’s Old Dads Review

• Netflix’s Official Page for “Old Dads”
• Bill Burr’s IMDb Profile
• Illiberal Education by Dinesh D’Souza
• MPAA Film Ratings
• Review of “You People” on Netflix
• Twitter Profile of Mark Kennedy