Fatherhood movies have been a fixture of Hollywood for generations. Many of these films feature men who are new dads and grappling with parenthood for the first time. Other movies show fathers who have been around for years and now find themselves at a crossroads in their lives.
Of course, this isn’t a new idea; there have been father movies as far back as silent films. But it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that we really began to see them take off. Maybe because it was more socially acceptable for men to take an active role in raising their children at that point? Whatever the reason, plenty of movies about fatherhood have become staples among classic family movies.
They range from comedies to dramas and everything in between, but all of them have something to say on how to be a better dad despite not being perfect (I mean, who is?). Some are serious, while others are lighthearted and fun, but they’re all worth watching if you’re looking for something new and different. Father’s Day is coming soon, so what about choosing your official “Father’s Day Movie” for this next June 19th?
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#1 Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
2017 | 2h 16m | Directed by James Gunn
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 features our favorite group of misfits who are now recognized as heroes after saving Xandar. This weird family embarks on a journey to help their leader uncover the truth behind his long-lost father. Among the upcoming Marvel projects, we find a sequel expected for May 2023, preceded by a Disney+ Guardians Of The Galaxy special, set for release in December 2022.
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36points
#2 Onward
2020 | 1h 42m | Directed by Dan Scanlon
Two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, go on a journey to discover if there’s still magic left out there. Their goal? Using it to spend one last day with their father, who died when they were too young to remember him. Onward is an incredible film, especially for anyone who loves the Pixar world and its characters. The last few years have been filled with serious and heartbreaking movies from the studio. While that’s not bad, it is refreshing to see such a fun and lighthearted fatherhood film.
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36points
#3 On Golden Pond
1981 | 1h 49m | Directed by Mark Rydell
On Golden Pond follows Norman, a curmudgeon father, and his wife Ethel, who get visited by their daughter Chelsea at their summer home in New England. Norman and Chelsea have a long-strained relationship, but with Norman showing the first signs of dementia and memory issues, Chelsea will do anything to fix things with her father before it’s too late. Starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and his daughter Jane Fonda.
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33points
#4 We Bought A Zoo
2011 | 2h 4m | Directed by Cameron Crowe
Based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo is a feel-good film starring Matt Damon as a recently widowed father. He moves with his two children to an abandoned zoo and takes on the mission to rebuild it and open it to the public. The film is directed by Cameron Crowe and has an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, and Angus Macfadyen.
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31points
#5 Captain Fantastic
2016 | 1h 58m | Directed by Matt Ross
Captain Fantastic is a drama film set in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. Ben, the father of six kids, raises them to study college-level literature, think critically, be physically fit, and live independently from modern civilization, far from any social interaction. When Ben’s wife commits suicide, the family is forced to leave their home, with the kids seeing the world outside for the first time after a life of isolation.
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29points
#6 Mr. Mom
1983 | 1h 31m | Directed by Stan Dragoti
Jack Butler is a happy husband and father who works as an engineer. Following the 1980s recession, he loses his job, and his wife decides to get back to work and becomes the only provider for the family. Jack will have to deal with all the responsibilities of taking care of a house and three kids, which reveals itself to be a much harder job than he ever imagined. Stay-at-home dads will definitely relate to this movie!
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29points
#7 The Judge
2014 | 2h 21m | Directed by David Dobkin
Robert Downey Jr. plays Hank Palmer, a successful defense attorney whose life is upended when his estranged father, a judge, becomes involved in a murder case. Despite the turbulent relationship between them, Hank agrees to investigate the case and defend his father against the charges, but things are not as simple as he hoped.
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28points
#8 He Got Game
1998 | 2h 16m | Directed by Spike Lee
Jesus Shuttlesworth is a born-talented high school basketball player, and talent scouts have their eyes on him. That sounds great, considering Jesus dreams of making it to the big ranks in professional basketball. But things get complicated when his father, in prison for accidentally killing Jesus’ mother, is offered a shorter sentence if he can convince Jesus to play for the governor’s college. Will his son welcome him back into his life?
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26points
#9 Mrs. Doubtfire
1993 | 2h 5m | Directed by Chris Columbus
Mrs. Doubtfire is a flawless film in every sense and one of Robin Williams’ best roles. The plot is simple: a man wants to spend more time with his kids after his wife divorces him, so he pretends to be an eccentric old lady to get hired as their nanny. This is comedy gold, and you will laugh from the opening scene until the credits start rolling while also enjoying the heart-warming moments this fatherhood movie has to offer.
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26points
#11 Cheaper By The Dozen
2003 | 1h 38m | Directed by Shawn Levy
In Cheaper By The Dozen, Tom Baker will show you what it’s like to be the father of twelve kids! With his wife busy on a book tour, Tom must handle his new job as a college football coach and the struggles of keeping his twelve rebellious children and teenagers at bay. A remake of the movie, starring Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff, has been recently released on Disney+.
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25points
