*Originally posted on FathersofMultiples.com
On Father's Day, your dad will want to crash in front of the TV after mowing the yard, cooking on the grill, fishing...or any of the other stereotypical things for which dads are known. What better way to celebrate his day than by passing him HIS remote control to pick from some of these great Father's day movies?
The Father's Day movies below all involve fathers who are very active in their kids' lives. Some of them struggle keeping up with their kids' many activities. Others step WAY outside of their comfort zones to tackle a problem. They are all there to face impossible situations as needed, and dole out meaningful advice, as fathers are known to do. Protecting their kids and give them a good, happy life. Great dads, all.Still others have grown kids and continue to dole out meaningful advice as needed
While many movies for Mom's Day tend to yank at the heartstrings...Father's Day movies lean towards comedy and action. Speaking as a dad, and which I'd prefer, that's a win in the DAD column!
Cheaper by the Dozen
Although this is Steve Martin's first appearance on this list, it won't be his last. If you count the sequel to this movie...which you should, Steve continues his dad greatness. In this first movie, Steve Martin's character had always wanted a big family. Well...he got one. He has 12 kids in this movie! When his wife goes away on a business trip, he tries taking care of all 12 WHILE pursuing his new job as a college football coach. If you think he's taking on too much, you'd be right...and it's very fun to watch!
*All Ages
Finding Nemo
Marlin is an overly cautious, helicopter dad who happens to be a fish. He smothers his son, Nemo, so much that Nemo feels he isn't allowed to do much of anything on his own. When the little fish gets captured by fishermen and taken away from his dad, Marlin risks life and fin, throwing all of his normally extreme caution to the waves, and sets out on an adventure through the seas to save his son.
*All Ages
Mrs. Doubtfire
Robin Williams stars as a man going through a divorce and losing pretty much all custody time with his children. Faced with no time seeing his kids, he gets desperate. What does Robin Williams do when desperate? He does what any father would do. He dresses up like an old, female British nanny, and spends time with his children, of course! This character succeeds as only Robin Williams could.
*All Ages
Father of the Bride
Steve Martin again! Once again, the sequel to this is ALSO a great movie. In part 1, he plays a father who doesn't want to acknowledge that his daughter is now fully grown because he feels like he's losing her. She IS grown, and she's getting married. A great scene to watch is when his daughter tells him she's tying the knot. Instead of seeing her at her real age, he sees her eight-year-old self telling him.
*All ages
Lion King
In this Disney tale loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, pretty much the whole plot (that we all know and love) revolves around what it means to be a father and what it means to be a son. Simba is born to be the eventual king of his lion pride...but that's before the evil machinations of his uncle Scar come into play. The evil plans? Aimed at the current king and father of Simba, Mufasa! Oooooh...
*All Ages
Courageous
Courageous is a Christian-based movie that will really speak to anyone who is a father. A group of police officers encounter something tragic at work which lead them to want to be better fathers than just "good enough". The group enters into a pact with one another to do just that. This is a movie that will pull at your heart-strings now at Father's Day, and any other time of the year you decide to watch it.
*All ages
Pursuit of Happyness
Will Smith plays Chris Gardener in this true story about a businessman who is down on his luck and facing homelessness. The biggest problem for Chris? He'll be going homeless with his young son. He fights the odds to become a stockbroker and give his son a safe and happy life. Not a movie you'll want to see in a theater if you are trying to hide your feelings. Try not to tear up at the subway bathroom scene.
*This movie is fine for most ages, it's rated PG-13 for some language...but either way, younger audiences would likely be bored.
About Time
The main character in this movie can time travel. When he goes back in time he can change things in the process, but only affect those things relating to his own life. He uses this ability to find love...but as he uses it...he changes things he finds he can't live without. It's really his interactions with his father that steal the show. Their conversations are so real, yet charming, and they make the movie.
*Older kids...because A) it's a rom-com with some suggestive scenes and B) it's time-travel complicated!
Daddy Day Care
After two guys get laid off from work (Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin) and begin their new jobs as stay-at-home dads, they decide to open a daycare by dads. Newsflash...taking care of your own kid doesn't quite qualify you to take care of a LOT of kids. So, watch along as the guys try to get past their giant-size learning curve. The bathroom scene alone makes it worth watching...if you see it, you'll know the scene.
*All Ages
National Lampoon's Vacation
The original Clark Griswold movie is hilarious, but some of the antics he pulls in this movie aren't good for all ages. Otherwise, this movie is extremely funny. Clark Griswold goes to great lengths to plan the ultimate family road trip...but unfortunately, plans don't always work the way they're supposed to. Be warned - the kids will be begging you to take them to Wally World after this film.
*Older kids/Teens
Taken
What do you do if your daughter gets taken by criminals? Well, if you have a particular set of skills, you threaten to look for them, find them, and kill them. Clearly, based on that sentence, this is not for the wee little tykes. If they're older, they'll enjoy watching Liam Neeson do what he does best, all out action (Never mind that he's a great dramatic actor as well.). This is what every father strives to be.
*Older kids/teens, depending on their maturity.
Frequency
A murder-mystery across 30 years of time as a grown police detective (in 1999) gets to mysteriously communicate with his fireman father (from 1969) that has been dead for quite some time. The plot is edge of your seat, nail-biting excitement. The tearful, heartfelt interactions between father and son, played by Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel, respectively, are the best parts to watch for in this movie.
*Older kids
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Be sure you're reading this right. This is a "Father's Day movie"...not JUST "Movies that Dad Loves". While any Indy movie would clearly fit the bill for either category, this particular Indy adventure includes his dad, played by Sean Connery. The fun back and forth between Ford and Connery is always fun and often hilarious amidst the typical awesome action that is in every movie about "Junior".
*All Ages
Daddy’s Home 2
While part one is decently funny as well, it's part 2 that really knocks it out of the park with the addition of Mel Gibson and John Lithgow. Mel, specifically, is great fun because, due to his poor relationship with son Mark Wahlberg, he pits Mark and Will Ferrell against each other. Why? If he's not in a healthy, happy relationship with his son...NO one will be! Their disfuncion leads to our laughter every. single. time.
*Older kids
John Q
What would you do if your son needed a heart transplant and insurance wouldn't pay for it? If you said you'd do just about anything, you're probably right along with about every other father you know. You're all in good company as Denzel Washington plays a caring father in this edge-of-your-seat movie, about a dad who takes a hospital emergency room hostage just to try and get help for his son!
*Older Kids/Teens
Honorable Mentions:
Good Dinosaur
Spoiler filled description: In the old days...Disney killed off moms...now it seems that Dads are the target. Arlo's dad has been trying to teach his son responsibility and to not be afraid, but it takes until AFTER that above spoiler for Arlo to really learn and grow into the man his dad wanted him to be.
*All ages
Field of Dreams Great movie about baseball starring Kevin Costner...but if I explain WHY it's a good Father's Day movie...it'll give away part of the movie's greatness.
*All ages
There are a lot of "Dad" movies out there, so obviously this was just a partial list. let us know if your favorite Father's Day movie made the list. If not, which one did we miss?
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