With Father’s Day approaching, here are our top films to watch with the whole family that celebrate the fatherhood experience!
‘Daddy Day Care’
This one is a classic ‘father film’ for a reason. The comedy follows best friends Charlie and Phil as they are subject to a mass work layoff. After six weeks of job hunting, Charlie is forced to take his son out of his academic preschool. Unable to find another affordable option, Charlie decides to open his own daycare out of his home, employing Phil’s help. Their daycare becomes increasingly popular, leading to a sequence of chaos, fun and comedy. This film is a hilarious family favourite that explores the hurdles that come with childcare and the passion of fathers.
‘Old Dogs’
Old Dogs is a comedic favourite featuring duo Robin Williams and John Travolta. As best friends and leaders in a sports marketing firm, Dan and Charlie are wealthy bachelors enjoying the finer things in life. Up until Dan’s ex-wife from a short-lived drunk marriage seven years prior resurfaces. Unknown to him, this short marriage resulted in twins, Zach and Emily. With their mum facing jail time, and twins become an instant part of Dan and Charlie’s lives. This movie brings a new light to ‘learning on the job’ with Dan and Charlie experiencing some growing pains when it comes to learning how to be dads.
‘The Pacifier’
This film, featuring Vin Diesel, presents him in a comedic light while still allowing him to maintain his action front. While he is not the ‘dad’ in this movie, US Navy SEAL Shane gets the father experience while being stationed at a family’s house to search for a secret project. Now assisting with the care of five children, Shane has to problem solve and manage in ways he never has before, and after moving past their differences, he builds a relationship with the children, mastering the tools of fatherhood.
‘Blended’
This film can be enjoyed by the whole family with humour to meet everyone’s tastes. The story follows divorced Lauren and widower Jim as they’re set up on an unsuccessful blind date. Their mutual friends who planned a romantic holiday end up breaking up, leaving the holiday for grabs. Lauren and her two sons, and Jim and his three daughters meet again in Africa where they’re forced to pretend to be a newly engaged couple in order to take advantage of this dream family vacation.
‘Kicking and Screaming’
This underrated Will Ferrell classic confronts the common experience of the father-run soccer team. Phil endured his father’s over-competitiveness throughout his childhood, leading to more than a few mental scars. Now his own son, Sam, plays soccer for the most successful team, however, is constantly benched by Buck, his coach and grandfather. Eventually, Sam is transferred to the league’s worst team. When their coach doesn’t show up, Phil decides to take on the role, leading to an intense dad battle.
‘Father of the Bride’
The 1991 film ‘Father of the Bride’ follows George Banks, played by much-loved Steve Martin, as he narrates the events leading up to the wedding of his 22-year-old daughter. His daughter, Annie returns from Europe after freshly graduating from college. With her return comes an announcement of her engagement despite only knowing the man for three months. Naturally, George takes an immediate dislike to him. This romantic comedy is full of laughs and tension, making an observation of the relationship between a father and his daughter, as well as a father and his future son-in-law.
‘Big Daddy’
As another Adam Sandler classic, Big Daddy takes a unique look at the ‘father experience’. One morning, Sonny finds a five-year-old boy at the door of his apartment with a note claiming that his roommate, Kevin, is the father and the mother is no longer able to care for him. With Kevin overseas, Sonny takes on the responsibility of caring for Julian, teaching him ‘the ways of the world’. While Sonny doesn’t teach Julian the best behaviours, the two begin forming a strong bond. This film is an emotional comedy that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
‘Cheaper by the Dozen’
Cheaper by The Dozen is a comedy that confronts the challenges that come with having 12 children. Tom Baker, a football coach, gets a tempting job offer and decides to move their family of 14 back to his hometown, much to the dismay of his children. His wife, having recently published a book, is required to do a national book tour, leaving Tom in charge of the household. Between juggling a full house of children and a team of football players, Tom has his hands more than full. This family film demonstrates the strength of family bonds and the fun that can come out of challenges.
‘The Pursuit of Happyness’
‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ is a heartfelt film that follows a single father and his son. Featuring real life father and son duo Will and Jaden Smith, this film is full of passion, love, and ambition. After being evicted from their apartment, Chris Gardner and his son experience many hardships as they navigate through shelters. Despite the world seemingly against him, Chris refuses to give in and give up, driving to create a better life for both him and his son.
‘Mrs Doubtfire’
‘Mrs Doubtfire’ is a much-loved family comedy that follows Daniel Hillard as he works to stay in his children’s lives. After his wife states her desire for a divorce, Daniel is only able to see his children every Saturday. In order to gain shared custody, he must find a steady job and a suitable residence within three months. While struggling to make this work, he finds out that his wife is looking for a housekeeper. In an attempt to spend more time with his children, Daniel constructs a character, Euphegenia Doubtfire, to apply. After being successful, Daniel dresses as an elderly British nanny, allowing him to continue his role in shaping his children’s lives and attempting to heal the bond between him and his wife.
