This Sunday, June 16 is Father’s Day. To celebrate, we are highlighting five films about fatherhood.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Steven Spielberg sure has a thing for making movies about dads, particularly if the relationships is strained.
In this entry, Indiana Jones is on the hunt for his dad, Henry Jones Sr., who has gone missing while on the hunt for the Holy Grail. Indy has to follow the clues left by his father while trying to find the Grail before the Nazis do, who seek its power.
Sean Connery is excellent in this one as the father of Indiana Jones and he has great chemistry with Harrison Ford. While it might not feature as many big, memorable set pieces like the mine cart chase in Temple of Doom or the snake-filled room in Raiders of the Lost Ark, this film is really about the characters and their relationship. I enjoy the way the two bicker back and forth, culminating in the reveal that “we named the dog Indiana.”
This is perhaps the best of the three original films, so if you want to watch an Indy film and don’t know which one to pick, be sure to make the right choice.
Father of the Bride (1991)
George Banks (Steve Martin) struggles with the sudden news that his daughter, Annie (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) is getting married. As he copes with the idea of his daughter growing up and starting her own life, George also tries desperately to keep the wedding from spiralling out of control. A remake of the 1950 Spencer Tracy film of the same name.
What is great about this movie — aside from Steve Martin and Martin Short — is the sweet father-daughter connection that is the heart of the film. No matter how bad things get for George or how crazy the wedding becomes, he manages to put up with all of it for the sake of his daughter.
Naturally, they made a sequel. They should not have made a sequel. Do yourself a favour and don’t watch the sequel.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) and his wife, Miranda (Sally Field), get divorced. As a result, Daniel doesn’t get to spend much time with his kids. To remedy the situation, he disguises himself as a woman to become the new nanny/housekeeper. It is a zany concept, but it works.
This is the late Robin Williams at his best. Mrs. Doubtfire is an excellent film that deals with divorce/separation and the impact it has on families. It is a film that combines genuine laughs with raw emotion. While Daniel can definitely be irresponsible, there is no denying the love he has for his kids, nor their love for him.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Pixar has made a lot of great films and Finding Nemo is certainly among their best efforts. The film is about Marlin (Albert Brooks), a clownfish who has to raise his son Nemo on his own after the death of his partner. Marlin is overprotective of Nemo. Unfortunately, Nemo gets lost and it is up to Marlin to find him. Along the way, he gets help from a forgetful fish named Dory (Ellen Degeneres).
This is a funny and sweet film that depicts the father-son bond, even though the two are apart for most of the film. It is a modern animated classic.
This movie basically revived Ellen Degeneres’ career, so take that for what it is worth, depending on whether you like her or not.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Based on a true story, this film is about Chris Gardner (Will Smith), who struggles to make a living and care for his young son (Jaden Smith). Gardner works an unpaid internship while he and his son are homeless.
This film includes a great, heartwarming performance from Will Smith. It is an inspirational story about hard work and dedication but, most of all, it is a film about the relationship between Gardner and his son. What makes this so powerful is that Will Smith is acting opposite his own real-life son.
The two later went on to star alongside each other again in After Earth (2013). It was…less successful.
This weekend be sure to meet dad on the couch with some popcorn and fire up one of your favourite films!
