Whether he’s walking a daughter down the aisle, helping a child with homework, taking charge of the weekend braai, cracking a bad joke or offering invaluable advice, dads certainly play an important role in our lives.
With Father’s Day just around the corner, and in keeping role models and heroes in mind, we have compiled a list of our top ‘dad movies’ for you to enjoy.
So brew the coffee or pour him his favourite tipple, make some popcorn and spend the afternoon binge watching these entertaining movies.
Father’s Day
When it comes to films, you can never go wrong with one which stars the late, brilliant Robin Williams. In this 1997 comedy, a mother (Nastassja Kinski) calls on two ex-lovers, Jack (Billy Crystal) and Dale (Williams), to help find her runaway teenage son (Charlie Hofheimer). However, in order to convince them to get involved in the search, she tells them they are both the boy’s father. It isn’t long before the two meet and an unlikely alliance is formed.
Father of the Bride
It’s an age-old tradition for a father to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. However, in this ’91 comedy, George (Steve Martin) is not so thrilled at the prospect of giving his daughter away. After a few mishaps, he eventually comes round and accepts his new son-in-law as part of the family. This successful film was followed by the sequel, Father of the Bride Part II in 1995.
Mrs. Doubtfire
Directed by Chris Columbus, this hysterical 1993 family comedy is another Robin Williams must-see. After losing custody of his children in a bitter divorce, Daniel Hillard (Williams), a down-on-his-luck actor, dresses up as an elderly woman and masquerades as a nanny so he can spend more time with his children.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Okay, so this might seem like an odd choice but there is plenty of father and son bonding in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In this fast-paced action adventure, Indiana Jones (Ford) sets off to find the Holy Grail. However, before his search begins, he first needs to rescue his estranged father (played by Sean Connery) who is being held captive by the Nazis.
Big Daddy
In this light-hearted comedy, Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler), a slacker without any ambition, decides to adopt a child to win back his girlfriend. Unfortunately, things don’t go according to plan and Sonny is forced to grow up and take responsibility as he assumes the role of a foster dad.
Daddy’s Home
The gloves come off, with hilarious results, in this 2015 comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg In Daddy’s Home, mild-mannered stepfather Brad (Ferrell) is struggling to get his wife’s two children to accept him as part of the family. Unfortunately, he is forced to up his game when their real dad, motorbike-riding and all-round tough guy Dusty (Wahlberg) arrives back on the scene. This successful film was followed by the 2017 sequel Daddy’s Home 2, which also starred Mel Gibson and John Lithgow.
