Fatherhood has been a central theme in cinema since its inception. Unlike portrayals of motherhood, which often tend towards straightforward nurturing, cinematic explorations of father-child relationships delve into complex dynamics and emotional landscapes.
Characters like Calum in “Interstellar” and Jacob in “Minari” exemplify this complexity, embodying imperfect yet devoted fathers who sacrifice everything for their children.
If you’re planning a Father’s Day movie marathon with your dad, we curated this list of the Top 10 films that celebrate fatherhood. Get ready with your tissues, as these stories are profoundly heart-wrenching.
The best movies to watch on Father’s Day
Beautiful Boy – 2018
Chronicle of a teenager’s meth addiction and his attempts to break free, seen through the eyes of his father, who watches powerlessly as his son battles the disease of drug addiction.
Available on Prime Video.
The Father – 2020
Anthony, an 80-year-old man who is sharp-tongued, somewhat mischievous, and stubbornly determined to live alone, rejects every caregiver his daughter Anne tries to hire to help him at home. She is desperate because she can no longer visit him daily and feels that her father’s mind is beginning to fail.
Available on Starz Apple TV Channel.
The Impossible – 2012
María, Henry, and their three young children fly from Japan to Thailand to spend their Christmas vacation at the beach. One morning, while they are all at the pool of the seaside resort, a tremendous tsunami destroys the hotel and much of the Southeast Asian coast.
Available on Fubo.
Interestellar – 2014
Seeing that life on Earth is coming to an end, a group of explorers led by pilot Cooper and scientist Amelia undertakes what may be the most important mission in human history: traveling beyond our galaxy to find a planet that can ensure the future of the human race.
Available on Prime Video.
Minari – 2021
David, a 7-year-old Korean-American boy, sees his life change overnight in the mid-1980s when his father decides to move the entire family to a rural area in Arkansas to start a farm, aiming to achieve the American dream.
Available on Max.
King Richard – 2021
Biopic about Richard Williams, an unwavering father who created Serena and Venus Williams, two players who would go on to make history in the sport of tennis.
Available on Max.
Aftersun – 2022
Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a vacation she took with her father 20 years ago. Real and imagined memories fill the spaces between the images as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.
Available on Fubo.
The Holdovers – 2023
Paul Hunham, a grumpy professor at a prestigious American college, is forced to stay on campus during the Christmas holidays to look after a handful of students who have nowhere to go. Against all odds, this situation leads him to forge an unusual bond with one of them, an intelligent and troubled boy with his own traumas, and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam.
Available on Prime Video.
Train to Busan – 2016
A deadly virus spreads through South Korea, causing violent outbreaks. The passengers on a KTX train traveling from Seoul to Busan must fight for their survival.
Available on Peacock.
High Life – 2018
Monte and his daughter Willow are the last survivors of a dangerous space mission. The rest of the crew, led by a sinister doctor, has disappeared.
Available on Max.
