OLD DADS (2023)

Directed By: Bill Burr 
Written By: Bill Burr and Ben Tishler
Cinematography: Sean McElwee 
Editor: Patrick J. Don Vito and Adriaan Van Zulu 

Cast: Bill Burr, Bobby Canavale, Bokeem Woodbine, Katie Aselton, Reign Edwards, Jackie Tohn, Rachael Harris, Miles Robbins, Natasha Leggero, Bruce Dern, C. Thomas Howell, Paul Walter Hauser, Katrina Bowden, Josh Brener 

Three best friends become fathers later in life and find themselves battling preschool principals, millennial CEOs, and anything created after 1987.


if you are familiar with the stand-up comedian Bill Burr. Who stars, co-writes, and directs. This is just a visual guide to the subjects he usually talks about, dismantles, and pokes holes in. Which is the sensitivity and over-the-top nature of modern-day society. 

This film almost comes off as a rant with characters and situations. As it stays pretty much on note. Only here he humanizes the characters trying to relate to a modern world. As his usual targets are here front and center. 

The film has a thorough line and points to make. Even in the end, the character learns to lighten up a bit to fit in for the good of his family. Which is the film’s main point is that doing the best for your family is what is the most important thing.

While the film has a likable cast surprising cameos and its stronger moments. It comes across as basic and a little disappointing. Though I am sure Burr’s fan base will love it

Unfortunately, the film offers very few surprises and less finesse. As it feels like it hits you over the head with the points it tries to make. 

Though the tough talk and sense of the blue-collar values and humor that is more inclined with time before the 1990s. It also feels like a natural extension of burr’s Animated series F IS FOR FAMILY. It also feels like a natural home for his fans. 

The random casting does remind one of the movies from 2004 MY BABY’S DADDY. Bokeem Woodbine steals the show. Though this film is much stronger and put together than that film. So this isn’t a failure but hopefully just the start of a bigger and better 

Grade: C

HORSE GIRL (2020)

horsegirl

Directed By: Jeff Baena
Written By: Jeff Baena & Alison Brie
Cinematography: Sean McElwee
Editor: Ryan Brown 


Cast: Alison Brie, Molly Shannon, John Ortiz, Debby Ryan, Toby Huss, Angela Trimbur, Paul Reiser, Aaron Stanford, Robin Tunney, Matthew Gray Gubler, Dylan Gelula, John Reynolds, David Paymer, Jay Duplass 

Sarah, a socially isolated arts and crafts store employee, finds herself more content in the company of horses and supernatural crime shows than people. But when a series of strangely surreal dreams upend the simplicity of her waking life, Sarah struggles to distinguish her visions from reality. A darkly humorous psychological thriller about a woman’s search for the truth, however abstract it may be.

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MORRIS FROM AMERICA (2016)

morris

Written & Directed By: Chad Hartigan
Cinematography By: Sean McElwee
Editor: Anne Fabini 

Cast: Craig Robinson, Markees Christmas, Carla Juni, Lina Keller

Morris is a 13-year-old African-American who moves to Heidelberg with his dad, who coaches professional soccer. The film explores Morris’s attempts to fit in with German kids. He falls for a girl at a youth club and she encourages him to open up a little and share his rapping.

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