What begins as an often-told tale of one character bilking another develops into a sweet story of how one man’s kindness changes the direction of the life of another.
In black and white, and set in Sun Valley and other bleak areas of Los Angeles, Burt follows Sammy (Oliver Cooper) as he deceives a café-playing guitarist, Burt Berger (playing a version of himself), into believing that Sammy is Burt’s son.
Burt is a trusting, optimistic, but naive 60-something suffering from Parkinson’s (which affects Berger in reality). He accepts Sammy’s story enthusiastically and begins to relate as father and son, which gives Sammy the opportunity to ask for money (which is the purpose of the deception).
Sammy’s trailer-park aunt Silvia (well played by Catlin Adams), who knows of Burt’s small wealth and who is desperate for cash, has put Sammy up to the scam.
The fourth main character in the film is Burt’s roommate and landlord, a curmudgeonly Steve (Steven Levy), who is skeptical of Sammy’s story of being a long-lost son.
The movie is billed as a comedy-drama, but the comedy is minimal and mainly revolves around a stacked washer/dryer in the living room. The first half of the film is slow in setting up the story and characters, who are all realistically and convincingly played—although all are mostly unlikeable, with the possible exception of Burt.
The second half is about the developing relationship between Burt and Sammy, who play lost-childhood games of football catch and overnight camping.
Burt is caring and generous and his sweetness begins to affect Sammy, causing him to confess Silvia’s scheme to Burt. An accidental gunshot (courtesy of the washer/dryer and not to be explained here) gives rise to the end of the film (also not to be explained here).
Much of the 80-minute film’s music is Burt Berger’s, although some cover sounds are distracting and make understanding dialogue difficult.
Joe Burke directed this very independent film, which he co-wrote and co-produced with Cooper and which won the best feature film award at the 2025 Phoenix Film Festival. It has a home movie style—no elaborate sets, with character actors who perform naturally in a simple story. The locales are just this side of ugly.
Reportedly completed in just seven days with a budget of $7,000, Burt is worth watching for the performances and to see how a movie can be made on a shoestring budget with relatively unknown actors in non-descript locations.
Editor’s Note: Burt is one of eight full-length films to be screened during the ninth annual Cambria Film Festival February 4-8. The February 6 screening at 7 p.m. will feature a Q&A with director Joe Burke. The February 7 screening at 10 a.m. is sponsored by The Love Story Project.