As a new dad myself, I can certainly attest to the trials and tribulations that comedian Bill Burr’s conflicted father persona endures in his new Netflix film. As confirmed in the film’s title, Old Dads centers on a few men past their prime who are now raising young kids in a world overrun by Gen Z trends, Byrd e-scooters, and TikTok. I can’t imagine doing all this with an additional 15+ years of life under my belt.

Parenting can be exhausting, as demonstrated in Burr’s latest project, which he also directed and has already proven quite successful on the streamer. We recently caught up Old Dads producer Monica Levinson, who dished about working with an iconic comedian like Burr, how the film compares to her past comedic projects, and more.

Speaking to Burr’s ‘Broad Fanbase’

For those who have seen at least some of Burr’s standup, they know he can be relentlessly entertaining in a hotheaded, firecracker sort of way. But you can tell he works hard at his craft and has effectively extended his reach to film and TV roles (Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian, The King of Staten Island). And it’s always fun hearing about what he’s like behind the scenes.

“When I was asked to come on board, the main reason I did it was because I met with him,” Levinson told MovieWeb. “He was amazing and really smart, and understood what he wanted to make. And I’m a big fan of his comedy. And I think he just really wanted to make this film. I think he succeeded in making the film he wanted to make. I think he wanted to put something out there that really spoke to his broad fan base, which, I mean, is a very big fan base. But anyway, he was really lovely.”

As previously mentioned, Burr directed Old Dads in addition to starring in it. Levinson commented on Burr wearing of multiple hats during the production process. “I think he was a little concerned and nervous about taking on the director’s role. But he did it really well. And we knew that this is going to be in his voice,” explained Levinson. She continued:

“If he could speak right now, he would say it himself, that it was overwhelming at first, just figuring out all the decisions he has to make in a day, all the people that need something from him. And having worked with actor-directors before, it’s really tough to balance because you have to get ready for your next scene. You have to get into the mode and get in there. But then somebody’s coming in and asking, ‘What do you think of this shot? Or this green jacket on this person?'”

Related: Top 10 Movie & TV Appearances by Bill Burr, Ranked

“And he did it with grace, and he was kind. And our crew really loved working with him,” added Levinson. And going back to Burr’s iconic standup game — what probably started as a niche audience has grown to a sort of universal appreciation for his material. He means well, despite his angry New Yorker facade. With Old Dads, Burr clearly saw an opportunity to further expand his crowd while remaining true to himself and his antics. “What’s interesting about Bill on this project was just that his audience is so broad,” said Levinson.

I think people expect that Bill’s audience is more narrow, and yet, every age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual affiliation, across the board, people really enjoy him. And we found that in our test screenings across the board, so it was really nice to see. Also, you don’t often get to have a director/star who’s going to go out on a comedy tour the day after we finished shooting.

Borat and ‘Mixing It Up’
Amazon Studios

Burr isn’t the only famed comedian Levinson has collaborated with. She also produced the Borat movies and spoke to us about how Old Dads compared with her past projects. “Obviously, it was very different than my Sacha movies,” she said. “Those are a whole different world. And we shot [Old Dads] during COVID, when we still had COVID protocols. So that was interesting. But at that point, I had already produced Borat 2 during COVID, in the very early days.” She added:

I think there are a lot of similarities, which is that the comedy is always the North Star, and making sure that we’re hitting the jokes and that it’s working, but also getting the emotion. And we really wanted to make sure that there was a balance.

Mission accomplished, in terms of the intended balance between comedy and heart. We’re rooting for the well-meaning “old dads” (played by Burr, Bobby Cannavale, and Bokeem Woodbine), but we can’t help but laugh at their occasional misfortunes throughout, particularly when Burr has to deal with other adults in his little community.

Related: 20 Best Comedy Movies on Netflix to Watch Right Now

Levinson then commented on her favorite parts of the film: “I love the scenes with Rachael Harris. She’s great as the preschool principal. And there are certain reactions that Bill gives that are very quiet. I really like those understated reactions, they say everything, so I appreciate that about the movie. And obviously, there’s a great scene in the middle [of the film], in the car ride, just because it makes me laugh. The younger actors are really great. Miles Robbins and Justin Miles, I think, are fantastic as well,” gushed Levinson. She continued:

“And one of my favorite things is the conversation about the neck, Bobby Cannavale being told that they know his age because of his neck, and then him constantly touching his neck for the rest of that scene. That makes me laugh… And Bokeem was great. He came in and said, ‘I haven’t done comedy, but I would love to.’ And Bill just recognized something in him. It was nice to be with such great people. Katie Aselton, Jackie Tohn, and Reign Edwards, just so talented. It was just really wonderful to be a part of this.”

Looking ahead, Levinson is currently in production overseas on a new limited series. She has tackled several genres over the years and would love to continue branching out. “I really like mixing it up,” she told us. “I like material that speaks to me, and I like working with people that I’m inspired by, or I connect to. I’ve really spent a lot of time in comedy, but then I produced Trumbo and Captain Fantastic, which were dramas, and then this show [in London that I’m currently shooting], so I like going back and forth, just telling stories that I’m attracted to and would like to see, myself, on a screen somewhere.”

You’ll want to see this too. Old Dads is now available to stream on Netflix.