Films for the whole family to enjoy for the weekend that’s in it …
Father of The Bride
This 1991 classic romcom starring the perfect duo of Steve Martin and Martin Short with Diane Keaton and Kimberly Williams (in her film debut), alongside a young Kieran Culkin, is a remake of the 1950 film of the same name. Dad George can’t cope with his daughter getting married and hilarity ensues. The soundtrack alone will take you down memory lane, with hits like “My Girl” by The Temptations and “Chapel of Love” by The Dixie Cups. It was an instant box office success, with Father of the Bride Part II following in 1995 and Father of the Bride Part 3(ish) in 2020. The first installment was remade for a third time in 2022 with a Cuban-American twist starring Andy García, Gloria Estefan and Chloe Fineman.
The Parent Trap
This 1998 romcom, a remake of the 1961 film of the same name also worth a rewatch, is directed by Nancy Meyers in her directorial debut and stars Dennis Quaid and the late, great Natasha Richardson as the divorced parents of identical twins separated at birth, who work together to reunite their family. In her film debut at the tender age of 11, Lindsay Lohan does double duty in both main roles, launching her colourful career as one of Disney’s most promising young actresses, who went on to star in Freaky Friday and Mean Girls before going slightly off the rails. A part two seems more likely now thanks to her return to acting and the ongoing legacy sequels trend, including Freaky Friday 2 with Jamie Lee Curtis.
Big Daddy
This 1999 dramedy, co-written by main star Adam Sandler with young sidekicks Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Leslie Mann, Jon Stewart and Rob Schneider, follows a man in his 30s who tries to be a responsible adult to prove a point to his ex by looking to adopt his friend’s son. It became a cult classic and Sandler’s highest-grossing film until Hotel Transylvania in 2015, which is another heartwarming movie to watch with dad. Rumours have circulated for years that a sequel’s in the works with the grown-up Sprouses, but we can only hope.
The Pursuit of Happyness
A 2006 biopic starring Will and Jaden Smith, in his film debut, it’s based on the bestselling memoir of the same name by Chris Gardner, detailing his one-year struggle as a homeless salesman trying to support his son. The author realised his story had Hollywood potential after an overwhelming response to a 2003 20/20 an interview, so he wrote his autobiography and later became the film’s associate producer. Will was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actor – his second after playing Muhammad Ali in sports drama Ali in 2001 – but before winning for the first time in another sports drama, King Richard in 2022, during the infamous slap incident with Chris Rock when he defended wife Jada Pinkett Smith. All films for fathers to enjoy, without the real-life drama!
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
This 1989 classic adventure directed by Steven Spielberg, based on a story by George Lucas, is the third installment in the series. Harrison Ford returns in the title role, with his father played by the one and only Sean Connery. Other cast members include Irish actress Alison Doody, Julian Glover (The Empire Strikes Back) and a young River Phoenix, late brother of Joaquin. Set in 1938, Jones searches for his dad, who’s been kidnapped by the Nazis to find the Holy Grail. Arguably the best film in the franchise, Ford and Connery make a perfect comedic duo. Although Spielberg and Lucas intended this to be the end of the story, it proved so popular that a sequel followed in 2008, with the final film in 2023.
Dan In Real Life
Made in 2007, one of Steve Carell’s lesser known films is a firm favourite, so we won’t gate-keep. He stars as an advice columnist, widower and single parent to three daughters, played by Alison Pill (American Horror Story: Cult, Star Trek: Picard, Them), Britt Robinson (Girlboss, Tomorrowland, The Space Between Us) and Marlene Lawston (Blue Bloods, Law & Order). His fabulous family ensemble includes Dianne Wiest (Footloose, The Lost Boys, Edward Scissorhands, The Birdcage, Practical Magic, I Care a Lot – the list goes on), John Mahoney (Moonstruck, Reality Bites, Primal Fear, Frasier), Dane Cook (My Best Friend’s Girl, Mr Brooks, Planes), Jessica Hecht (Friends, Breaking Bad, The Boys) and his brother’s new girlfriend (who he falls for), played by Juliette Binoche. Look out for Emily Blunt, nicknamed “Pigface” in the flick, just a year after her debut in The Devil Wears Prada … with filming beginning this summer for a long-awaited sequel out next year. We can’t wait to see Miranda Priestly back on our screens.
The Birdcage
Happy 25 years to this iconic film, which was seen as groundbreaking at the time as one of the few films from a major studio to centre around LGBTQIA+ characters, winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast Performance. The story follows drag club owners and partners, hilariously brought to life by Nathan Lane and the late Robin Williams, who act like a heterosexual and non-Jewish couple to meet the ultra-Republican family of their son’s fiancée, played by Calista Flockhart, Dianne Wiest and the late Gene Hackman – commanding his role as a senator and co-founder of a conservative group called the Coalition for Moral Order. Hank Azaria (The Simpsons, Along Came Polly, Night at the Museum, plus many more) and Christine Baranski (The Good Wife, The Good Fight, The Gilded Age) support as comedic relief. Also listen out for hits such as Donna Summer’s “She Works Hard for the Money”, Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family”, and Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga” as part of a killer soundtrack. A feel-good film with an edge to show the lengths that your parents will go to make you happy!
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
This 2021 animated sci-fi road comedy film stars the voices of Olivia Colman, Maya Rudolph, Danny McBride and Eric André, with Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Conan O’Brien, Fred Armisen, Charlyne Yi and even Doug the Pug in supporting roles. The story follows the dysfunctional Mitchell family, who must save Earth from a global uprising of robots. The film received acclaim for its visual effects, action sequences and LGBTQIA+ representation, winning Best Animated Feature at the Critics Choice Awards. With a 97 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s guaranteed to become a favourite for the whole family as there are jokes for everyone to enjoy.
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