Cool Dad - Official Trailer (2018)
An absurdist Adult Swim short that lovingly skewers the cheesy family VHS tapes of a bygone era.
Cool Dad - Movie Information
- Release Year: 2018
- Directed by: Ariel Gardner, Alex Kavutskiy
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Comedy
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 11m
- Original Language: English
- Production Companies: Abominable Pictures, Williams Street, Adult Swim
- Production Countries: United States of America
Cool Dad - Plot
Dreambow Entertainment Home Video presents "Cool Dad" and other fun fantasy-comedies for the whole family coming soon to videocassette!
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Cool Dad - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Ariel Gardner
- Alex Kavutskiy
Main Cast
- Jerry O'Connell
- A. Smith Harrison
- Jay Jackson
- Parker Lewis
- Gabriel Maddox Maier
- Andrea Rosen
- Nathan Graham Smith
- Bechir Sylvain
- Jerry Lambert
Writers
- Alex Kavutskiy
- Ariel Gardner
Cool Dad - FAQs
What is Cool Dad about?
Cool Dad is a short comedy from Adult Swim that parodies the cheesy VHS home video releases of the late '80s and early '90s. Presented as a Dreambow Entertainment Home Video title, it follows Ted Apples — played by Jerry O'Connell — in a deadpan, absurdist family comedy that skewers retro direct-to-video culture.
Is Cool Dad a real movie or a parody?
Cool Dad is both — it's a real short film and a deliberate parody. The whole premise spoofs the look and feel of low-budget family VHS tapes from the late '80s, complete with the fictional Dreambow Entertainment Home Video label. It's a loving, absurdist send-up of that era's straight-to-video aesthetic.
Who plays Ted Apples in Cool Dad?
Jerry O'Connell plays Ted Apples, the lead character in Cool Dad. O'Connell, best known for his roles in Stand by Me and Sliders, brings a perfectly earnest, deadpan energy to the role that fits the film's retro parody tone beautifully.
Where can you watch Cool Dad?
Streaming availability for Cool Dad may vary by region and platform. Your best bet is to check JustWatch, which tracks where the film is currently available to stream, rent, or buy across all major platforms in your area.
Who directed Cool Dad?
Cool Dad was co-directed by Ariel Gardner and Alex Kavutskiy, who also wrote the script together. The duo crafted the film's pitch-perfect VHS parody aesthetic, capturing everything from the grainy visual style to the exaggerated family-friendly tone of '80s home video releases.
How long is Cool Dad?
Cool Dad runs just 11 minutes, making it a short film. That tight runtime works perfectly for its premise — it's exactly long enough to fully commit to the retro VHS parody bit without overstaying its welcome. A quick, punchy watch.
What is the age rating for Cool Dad?
Despite its family-friendly VHS parody packaging, Cool Dad is rated R. That contrast between the wholesome retro aesthetic and the R rating is very much part of the joke — it's an Adult Swim production, after all, so expect the humor to go places those old family tapes never did.
What studio produced Cool Dad?
Cool Dad was produced by Abominable Pictures and Williams Street in association with Adult Swim. Williams Street is Adult Swim's in-house production arm, responsible for many of the network's most distinctive and offbeat projects, making it a natural home for this kind of absurdist short-form comedy.
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