9 Of The Best Films About Fatherhood
With Father’s Day nearly here, we’re putting together a list of the best films all about dads. Fatherhood is an endless source of drama (and comedy), from raising young kids to navigating old age – all of which is quite aptly depicted through some of film’s most iconic dads. There are tons of choices, but we’ve chosen nine of the very best dad-centred movies to watch.
Still need a last-minute present? Check out our oh so luxe Father’s Day Gift Guide
Chef
Jon Favreau stars and directs in this comedy-drama, which blends a father-son story with a copious amount of delicious-looking food. When high-profile celeb chef Carl gets into a spat with a food critic, he ends up losing his job and his status. Trying to start anew, he decides to renovate a food truck to take it on the road and take his cooking skills to the streets. His family have become distant and estranged from him, with wife Inez (Sofia Vergara) and son Percy having become sidelined in his pursuit of cuisine. But the food truck offers a way to bond with his son, and perhaps change his life in the process, making for a warm and funny Father’s Day pick.
Minari
Minari has become lauded as one of the best films of the decade following its release in 2020, and stars Steven Yuen as a South Korean immigrant who settles in the state of Arkansas during the 80s. As he and his family build a farm, Jacob (Yeun) tries to pursue his own American dream, trying to start life over again in a totally new country. His idea is to be able to grow enough produce to be able to start selling unique Korean vegetables on the US market, where they can easily be acquired. But there are plenty of obstacles and dangers in the way that will make this difficult. It’s a film about big themes like immigration and the pursuit of the American dream, but also about a father trying to achieve the best possible life for his family.
Beautiful Boy
One of the hardest-hitting films on this list, Beautiful Boy stars Timothée Chalamet as a teen struggling with addiction, but it’s Steve Carell‘s father character who we mainly follow in the story. Based on a true memoir, the film follows David (Carell) who sees his son Nic slowly descend into a spiral of drug dependency after going from smoking weed to crystal meth. David begins to obsessively devote time to researching the addictive effects of the drug and the toll it will take on Nic, hoping to put him back on track. It’s a tough watch, particularly if you know anyone in similar circumstances, but it shines a spotlight on the drug epidemic.
Fences
A film adaptation of the seminal stage play, Fences stars two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington as Troy, a blue-collar African-American father trying his best to put food on the table for his family. Viola Davis (who won an Oscar for this film) stars opposite as his wife Rose, with both raising their teenage son Cory (Jovan Adepo) to become an independent adult. But Troy is a complex character, having once hoped to be a star baseball player, and instead shut out by the prejudices and racism of the time. The pent-up frustration he holds as a result often gets taken out on his family, particularly Cory, who he feels is immature and needs to grow up. It’s a must-watch if you like tour de force performances.
The Royal Tenenbaums
Wes Anderson has a new film out, which happens to also be about a father-child relationship, but why not also revisit one of his earliest successes, which many argue is his best work so far? The Royal Tenenbaums stars the late Gene Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum, an eccentric father to several successful children. However, he doesn’t have the best relationship with his family, in part due to leaving them at a young age. Years later, he summons his family members back to announce he has a terminal illness, but family life does not go smoothly. Owen Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bill Murray, Ben Stiller and Anjelica Huston also star.
About A Boy
Coming in between Bridget Jones and Love Actually, About a Boy stars Hugh Grant as Will, a man who is happy to remain single and not committed to anyone. He joins a single-parent group to try and find a woman to ask out, and while there, he meets Suzie (Victoria Smurfit). He also happens to meet Marcus (played by a young Nicholas Hoult), the son of Suzie’s friend Fiona (Toni Collette), who suffers from suicidal tendencies. After she tries to take her own life, Marcus tries to get Will interested in her to give her happiness again, despite Will’s reluctance. But Will and Marcus soon find that they will form an unexpected bond with each other.
The Descendants
This drama-comedy from The Holdovers director Alexander Payne stars George Clooney in the central role of Matt King, a successful solicitor and land baron. Living in Hawaii, he owns a sizeable plot of land that he inherited, which would sell for a lot of money. Others in his family are leaning on him to give it up for the cash, but Matt becomes distracted when his wife is involved in an accident that leaves her in a coma. As the family tries to recover, he reconnects with his two daughters (played by Amara Miller and Shailene Woodley), and tries to console them as they face the very real possibility that their mother may not survive. He also learns that she was unhappy and not faithful to him. Like most of Payne’s works, it’s funny but deeply poignant.
The Father
Another one that’s hard hitting, The Father saw Anthony Hopkins scoop another Oscar for his role as an elderly man, Anthony, suffering from dementia. Olivia Colman plays his daughter, Anne, who helps him deal with his illness and continues to live life as comfortably as possible. Anthony is resistant to her suggestions of moving from his flat to a care home, and is not an easy patient for the series of carers that visit him. Anne suddenly announces to him that she wants to move to Paris with a man, and the sudden upheaval causes him to fall into a mental spiral.
Somewhere
Lost in Translation and Priscilla filmmaker Sofia Coppola directs this drama that took some inspiration from her own childhood. Johnny (Stephen Dorff), who has just broken into stardom, takes a short break at a hotel on Sunset Boulevard to get away from it all. Even though he has both fame and money and should have a very comfortable life, quietly, he feels on the verge of an existential crisis from his lack of emotional satisfaction. His wife suddenly breaks down and leaves, and now Johnny has sole responsibility for his daughter Chloe (Elle Fanning), who has been growing up in the spotlight. Father and daughter both try to adjust, with Chloe providing Johnny with a new life perspective.
