Father’s day is upon us so we’ve been thinking about our favorite movies about fatherhood. These are all great options for the big day, even if you’ve seen them before, and if you haven’t, right that wrong immediately! We’ve even sorted them into categories for you.
Comedy
Parenthood
Perhaps an obvious one to start with but it remains an entertaining and humorous look at the ups and downs of parenting. A fantastic cast too: Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, and Joaquin Phoenix showing just what a fine actor he was.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Youtube
Mr. Mom
After losing his job, Michael Keaton becomes a stay-at-home Dad, a role he belatedly realizes is the hardest job there is. Ok, maybe except rocket scientist. Or brain surgery. Anyway, the plot may be predictable but this could have been trite and forgettable – but John Hughes’s script is excellent and Keaton shines, resulting in a great, funny, and very quotable family movie.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
3 Men and a Baby
Imagine a very different nativity and you basically have the plot of this movie – a baby miraculously appears surrounded by 3 unwise men. Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson’s bachelor-lifestyle is turned upside down when they suddenly have to raise a baby girl between them; essentially, it could have been called Clueless. As it was the 80s, it naturally involves a car chase, an odd subplot about drug smuggling, and a dubious mustache. But it’s entertaining and fun, and a nice ode to the joys of fatherhood.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
Vacation
Dads don’t get much dadder than Clark Griswold. The goofy demeanor, the khaki shorts, the elbow protruding from their station wagon’s driver side window. This is a man hellbent on showing his family a good time, one who’ll stop at nothing short of punching an anthropomorphic moose in the nose to make that happen. All hail Poppa Grizz.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
Father of the Bride
It’s tough watching your kids grow up, and there’s no greater gut-punch reality check in that regard than watching them fall in love. Anyone who’s ever been involved in a wedding will quickly identify with George Banks’ compounding frustrations here. Martin Short delivers one of the most memorable performances of his career as Franck Eggelhoffer, the flamboyant, potentially unhinged wedding planner. A super funny and touching flick.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
Mrs. Doubtfire
Sure, we all love our kids. But do we “moonlight as a British nanny to circumvent a custody ruling” love them? Daniel Hillard certainly does. It is so fun watching Robin Williams leaf through his Rolodex of silly voices, slyly antagonize Pierce Brosnan, and extinguish the all-too-common rubber boob fire.
Where to watch: Stream on HBO Max
Big Daddy
Big Daddy is a hilarious, heartwarming reminder that fatherhood truly transcends biology. Anyone can be a dad, whether you filmed the childbirth, cut through the red tape of adoption, or simply misrepresented yourself to a social worker so that you could teach a kid with the self-applied nickname “Frankenstein” to hock viscous loogies and injure rollerbladers. We salute you, Sonny Koufax.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
Daddy’s Home
A great watch with older children, with Will Ferrell inserting his unique humor into a family movie. Mark Wahlberg is excellent too, and his chemistry with Ferrell (first seen together in The Other Guys) is perfect here, as they both battle it out to discover who is the best dad in a blended family. Undemanding, feel-good fun.
Where to watch: Rent on Youtube
Animated
Finding Nemo
Perhaps the best movie about fatherhood you can watch with young kids. Let’s quickly gloss over the fact that Marlin loses Nemo in the first place, and focus on the dedication of a father finding his son. He might only be a fish but Marlin’s love for his son really resonates, and it’s a whole lot of fun along the way too.
Where to watch: Disney+
The Lion King
Last year’s remake was good, but I prefer the 1994 classic. A lion cub prince is tricked into running away by his treacherous uncle, but it’s this very act that allows him to learn his identity and responsibilities. Featuring classic songs, and in many ways, it’s a classic coming of age story, with lots of roar emotion. Sorry. I couldn’t resist. R.I.P. Mufasa.
Where to Watch: Disney+
Drama
To Kill a Mockingbird
Widely regarded as one of the all-time great movies, based on the iconic novel by Harper Lee. Expertly dealing with difficult and complex issues around racism and prejudice, mostly from a child’s perspective, it feels even more relevant today. Timeless, compelling, and unmissable.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Godfather
Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece serves as a reminder to dads everywhere that, regardless of circumstance, whether it’s your daughter’s wedding day or you’re simply seeking ten minutes of solace on the toilet, someone’s bound to barge in and beg for favors at the most inconvenient times.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
The Pursuit of Happyness
An emotional story about a father looking after his son as one hardship happens after another. Based on a true story, and with Will Smith alongside his real-life son Jaden Smith, it’s a powerful and uplifting movie, and the ending might make you cry. I didn’t. I just had something in my eye. For like, 5 minutes.
Where to watch: Netflix
It’s A Wonderful Life
I know. It’s a Christmas movie. But some movies transcend the seasons. And if you’re looking for an inspiring, joyful movie about a devoted family man realizing what life would be like without him that happens to star Jimmy Stewart, this should be in your top one.
Where to watch: Rent on Youtube
Dad
Spanning three generations, this father-son drama involves learning lessons about what it means to be a son and a father after they are suddenly brought back into each other’s lives and spend time together. A stellar cast – Jack Lemmon, Ted Danson, and Ethan Hawke – give the poignant story real meaning and depth.
Where to watch: Rent on Youtube
Big Fish
Tim Burton can be an acquired taste but this might be his most accessible movie: it’s a captivating and heart-wrenching story of a son reconciling with his dying father, and trying to untangle fact from fiction after his father has told imaginative and fantasized stories about his life. A comedic and dramatic story about storytelling, it also intricately captures the impact your father has on you.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
Action
Die Hard
What can we say about Die Hard that hasn’t already been said, agreed with, and then obnoxiously pivoted towards a conversation about the legitimacy of a Christmas movie? Exciting, endlessly quotable, a master course in movie pyrotechnics. Iconic in every regard. There’s a reason we say “it’s Die Hard in a ____” to describe other movies. And every dad knows that when you try to spend a little time with your kids during the holidays, mayhem follows. We feel you John McClane.
Where to watch: Stream on HBO Max
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
All Indiana Jones movies could be classed as perfect Dad movies, and in some parts of the world, it’s probably illegal to say this is better than Raiders of the Lost Ark. So before I get arrested, this is better than Raiders of the Lost Ark. Not only because it is a perfect blend of escapism, adventure, and action (and comfortably the funniest Indy movie), the father-son rivalry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery is pitch-perfect.
Where to watch: Netflix
Logan
Wolverine’s previous standalone movies were fairly underwhelming, but for Huge Jackman’s final outing as the clawed and flawed superhero, this was a resounding triumph. Logan, now elderly and weary, belatedly discovers his fatherly instincts as he must get Laura, a mutant child mercilessly pursued by scientists, to safety. Epic, brutal, and emotional, this was a perfect send-off.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
No Escape
You know what to expect from an Owen Wilson movie: broad humor, a wonky nose, and Vince Vaughn. But not in this one: it slipped under the radar a little, which is a shame because it is a tense, fraught, and compelling action thriller about a man protecting his family during a violent uprising. “Wow” indeed.
Where to watch: Netflix
Thriller
Catch Me If You Can
This is the fascinating and true tale of Frank Abagnale Jr., an incredible con artist (posing as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer), and the eager pursuit of him by the FBI agent played by Tom Hanks. All of Frank’s actions are motivated by his father, and the scenes with Christopher Walkin have genuine warmth. Frank’s relationship with the FBI agent, a classic game of cat and mouse, also evolves into something akin to father and son.
Where to watch: Netflix
Taken
I will look for you, I will find you and I will eat you. I was looking for a Twix but Liam Neeson copied my words when searching for his daughter after she was…well, taken. It’s a violent, unrelenting thriller, and it’s great to see a Dad doing anything for his family while being such a badass.
Where to watch: Starz
Sci-Fi
Return of the Jedi
You’d have to have been frozen in carbonite not to have seen this movie but it rewards endless re-watches. It’s got the lot: Han and Leia reunited, Ewoks, Luke defeating the emperor, Darth finally taking his mask off just as we put ours on. And the final triumphant victory over the dark side, all while you sit on the couch like Jabba The Hut. Perfect.
Where to Watch: Disney+
Interstellar
Talk about Chis Nolan movies, and you think of ambitious themes, mind-bending plots, audacious action, and Michael Caine. And this one is no different, except at its heart, it’s all about fatherhood. Matthew McConaughey’s character’s relationship with his daughter involves exploring themes about fatherly sacrifice and a fear of disappointing his children. And without getting too technical, there’s lots of cool space stuff too.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
About Time
I would guess if you’re thinking about a time travel movie about parents, the obvious choice would be Back To The Future. This smaller, personal story though is a nice tribute to fatherhood, as a dad tells his son he can Quantum Leap to any point in his own lifetime. This is a different and interesting movie about family and love. And if that’s not enough, it’s got Bill Nighy in it too.
Where to watch: Netflix
Sports
The Natural
Robert Redford and Robert Duvall are the leads. Go and watch it. What, you need more? Glenn Close and Kim Basinger. Still need more? Wow ok. Of all the sports, baseball is perhaps the one that best translates to the big screen. It somehow captures all the drama, the tension, and the magic. This is a perfect example: it’s actually a fantasy movie, a fairy tale even, when an unknown batter with a mysterious past appears out of nowhere and transforms the fortunes of a 1930s baseball team. Now go and watch it.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
He Got Game
Seriously under-appreciated sports flick. Denzel stars as Jake Shuttlesworth, a convicted murderer who’s offered a reduced prison sentence if he can convince his son Jesus (NBA all-star Ray Allen) to play basketball for the governor’s alma mater. It’s riveting stuff, and you’ll be positively floored by how good of an actor Ray Allen is.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
The Sandlot
A timeless coming of age story about friends, childhood, the biggest dog in the world, and baseball. And if you ever wondered why your dad says “you’re killing me, smalls”, now it will all make sense.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
Caddyshack
Funny, silly, entertaining. Not only the job description of a dad, but a good summary of this movie. Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and a devilish gopher make this the funniest golf movie since….well, ever.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
Westerns
Maverick
Based on the 1950s TV show, this features Mel Gibson as the charming, handsome, and sly Maverick. While there is drama, tension, and twists, it’s much more of a comedy than a western, and an incredibly entertaining one too. A perfect escape movie.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
Hell Or High Water
I could tell you this is about a divorced father and his ex-con older brother resorting to robbing a bank in order to save their family’s ranch in West Texas. I could tell you it’s gritty, funny, and entertaining, with a great plot and characters. Or I could just say it’s a western/crime drama with Jeff Bridges. That’s all you should need to know.
Where to watch: Netflix
Horror
The Shining
Probably the last film you want to watch while self-isolating, but a classic worth revisiting nonetheless. Brilliantly crafted and scary as hell. Especially for Jack Torrance’s kid. We’ll also recommend seeking out any and all behind the scenes footage, which is often as intense as the movie itself.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
Jaws
I know. You’ve seen it a hundred times. It doesn’t matter; it’s one of the few movies that never loses its magic however many times you watch it. Roy Schneider’s Brody is the sheriff, the devoted dad, and the heart of this movie, and watching him hunt down that shark remains as thrilling and triumphant as ever.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Omen
If you want something dark and unsettling on father’s day, may I just ask: why? But anyway if you do, this is a perfect choice. Many fathers might occasionally think their son is the devil, but in Gregory Peck’s case, he was right. Watch out for church spires and sheets of glass.
Where to watch: Behind the couch or Starz
Poltergeist
Television blaring, a child screaming, furniture destroyed, a general atmosphere of dread, and a whispered voice saying “they’re here”. But enough about my kid’s birthday party, this movie centers around a family home invaded by an evil spirit who drags the daughter into another dimension. It’s a horror classic; intense, engaging, and particularly horrifying for Dads, as the family has to leave the TV on even though no one is watching it.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
Surprisingly, Wes Craven didn’t direct any of the Nightmare of Elm Street sequels before returning for this one, and it was a welcome and much-needed return to form. Admittedly, it is pretty crazy and silly, but when you’re watching a burned dream-haunting demon with a knifed glove and a fedora, you can’t really complain about realism. It’s fun and inventive, and an entertaining finale to an iconic series.
Where to Watch: Shudder
Frailty
One of the most underrated horror movies this side of the millennium. Bill Paxton (rest in peace!) directs and stars in this bone-chilling tale of a single dad who thinks he’s been commanded by God to kill demons masquerading as humans. It’s every bit as harrowing as its premise leads you to believe. A definite must-see for fans of psychological thrillers.
Where to watch: Buy or rent on Amazon
Expectant Dads
Nine Months
After the success of 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Hugh Grant’s next movie choice was perhaps a surprising one. Although, while it’s not a classic, it’s a funny and heartwarming rom-com. A superb cast turns this into a light-hearted and feel-good movie about the worries of becoming a father. Plus, Robin Williams. Need we say more?
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Junior
No, don’t worry, this isn’t a biography of George W. Bush. Instead, the premise sounds like the result of a long drinking session – imagine if the Terminator was pregnant? But, if you’re prepared to suspend reality for a couple of hours, it actually works well – Schwarzenegger isn’t really suited to comedy but this is his best attempt, and sometimes the more ridiculous the plot and premise, the better. Emma Thompson and Danny De Vito provide excellent support to make it undemanding and feel-good fun.
Where to watch: Starz
She’s Having a Baby
A lesser-known John Hughes movie; after his exploration of teenage life, this is his ode to “growing up”, about a young newlywed couple adjusting to deal with marriage and parenthood. In particular, it focuses on Kevin Bacon as he gradually adapts to becoming a responsible family man. It has funny moments and it is a sweet, sometimes sad, and charming tale.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Knocked Up
Ok not one to watch with younger kids but this raucous funny movie, with a superb supporting cast (watch out for the red-eye!), has heart and warmth too, dealing with the fears and worries we all share when expecting our first child. The drive home from the hospital at less than 10 mph really hits home too!
Where to watch: Netflix
Juno
This coming of age comedy-drama attracted huge acclaim on its release and with good reason; dealing with an unplanned teenage pregnancy with humor, realism, and nuance. Ellen Page is expertly cast as the independently-minded mother-to-be, while Micheal Cera’s natural awkwardness has never found a better home. Add Jennifer Garner and the consistently excellent Jason Bateman, and you have a refreshingly honest, smart, and entertaining story.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
