Bill Burr's Hilarious Stand-up Hits the Big Screen: A New Formula That Will Leave You Laughing!

Stand-up comedians have a longstanding tradition of transitioning into successful filmmakers, despite the controversies surrounding individuals such as Woody Allen and Louis C.K. However, renowned comedian Bill Burr's attempt to bring his anger-fueled stage persona to the big screen with "Old Dads" is ill-timed, as the film falls short of consistent humor. Premiering on Netflix, Burr takes on the roles of director, lead actor, and co-writer alongside fellow seasoned father Ben Tishler, aiming to portray the absurdities of modern-day parenthood. In his character Jack, he portrays a man who struggles to hide his disdain for elitist, health-obsessed private school communities and children resembling professional news anchors.

The movie serves as an expansion of Burrs performance, where he strategically veers off course to cleverly satirize various topics and portrays the supporting characters as shallow caricatures for his character, Jack Kelly, to confront and topple.

This approach is not entirely new, as Allen had previously introduced media theorist Marshall McLuhan in "Annie Hall" to debunk an arrogant academic. However, times have significantly changed, and Burrs random asides to poke fun at Caitlin Jenner or sensitive millennials can't escape the feeling of being unnecessary, even if he is simultaneously mocking himself as an outdated dinosaur.

Bill Burr as Jack, Katie Aselton as Leah in "Old Dads."

At 51 years old, Jack is on the verge of welcoming his second child with his wife, Katie Aselton. Both Jack and his friend Connor, who also has a five-year-old boy, are facing the challenges of parenting. However, Connor's child is a wild and unruly little creature, despite which his mother staunchly defends him by encouraging others to express their emotions freely.

Jack, Connor, and their business partner Mike (played by Bokeem Woodbine) have recently sold their sports-jersey company. However, they now find themselves frustrated with their new boss, who is in his 20s and has a unique way of addressing employees' employment status. Meanwhile, Jack has a confrontation with the principal of his children's school (played by Rachael Harris), making it essential for him to remain silent in order to secure a recommendation for their child's admission to a higher-tier private school.

"Old Dads" presents several humorous moments, especially for individuals familiar with specific parts of Los Angeles, such as the Valley and its neighboring areas.

The tension arises from the fact that stand-up comedians, including Burr and his contemporaries like Dave Chappelle, intentionally choose to be offensive and emphasize that their material is not meant to please everyone.

In 2020, Burr sparked controversy with his jokes about "woke" White women on "Saturday Night Live." In the movie, he continues to push boundaries by ridiculing a White mother at the school who equates a derogatory term for women with the N-word.

Burrs' business partner, Mike Bertolina, informed the Hollywood Reporter that the movie creatively presented Burrs' stand-up material "in a narrative format," a fact that is clearly evident. However, the complex aspect lies in the fact that in the film, Burr or his alter ego directs his poignant tirades towards someone, a situation that inevitably modifies the overall dynamic.

"Old Dads" debuts on Netflix on Friday.

Michael Moriatis/Netflix

Fans of Burrs will certainly find many things to appreciate in "Old Dads," even though the movie softens his coarse demeanor and prompts him to reevaluate his outdated beliefs.

However, from a broader standpoint, it now seems more challenging to seamlessly integrate a stand-up comedy routine into a film - the fundamental structure of "Old Dads." It hasn't aged particularly well, regardless of the comedians who came before Burr and attempted something similar.

"Old Dads" premieres October 20 on Netflix. Its rated R.