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Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, as well as all the caregivers, guardians, and parental figures that are pulling their weight and deserve to be recognized not just on this day but every day! Perhaps your family was nice enough to give you some alone time today, or maybe you plan to spend the day checking out a family film with the kids, in either case, we hope we can help you save some time doing the infinite-scroll-time-suck (that’s an official term) with our list of great Father’s Day movies on Netflix.
From heartfelt, sentimental films, like Kevin Hart’s recent dramatic turn in Fatherhood, to comedic daddy-daughter bonding movies like The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, there are so many films that celebrate that special bond with the man we all call “Dad.” Here are a few more of our favorites.
'Fatherhood'
CAST: Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Paul Reiser, Lil Rel Howery
RATING: PG-13
DESCRIPTION: Fatherhood is the story of a single, widowed father named Matt, played by Kevin Hart, who raises his daughter alone from basically the moment she is born when his wife dies unexpectedly after giving birth. And that would be enough to make it a story of triumph and hope. But it’s also a story of the power of community, like Matt’s supportive boss, played by Paul Reiser, and Matt’s in-laws (played by Alfre Woodward and Frankie Faison), who are mourning but also want their granddaughter to be loved and cared for.
With great performances and a heartfelt story that’s based on Matt Logelin’s book, Two Kisses for Maddie: A Memoir of Love and Loss, you can certainly feel the love in this film.
'Father Soldier Son'
CAST: Brian Eisch
RATING: R
DESCRIPTION: The Netflix documentary Father Soldier Son took over a decade to to make. What began as a New York Times story about a U.S. Army battalion deployed to Afghanistan, eventually evolved more specifically into the lives of about one soldier, Brian Eisch, and his family.
Directors Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn created this emotional documentary which paints a portrait of a husband and father whose identity is inextricably tied to his military service.
'The Adam Project'
CAST: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell
RATING: PG-13
DESCRIPTION: While Netflix’s The Adam Project,which stars Ryan Reynolds, is primarily a fun throwback sci-fi adventure, the theme of fatherhood is what grounds the film with a more emotional throughline. Reynolds stars as a time traveler from 2050 named Adam Reed who accidentally flies his quantam jet into his own childhood backyard in 2022 and reunites with his 12-year-old self, played by newcomer Walker Scobell. From there, the two Adams set out to reunite with their dad, played by Mark Ruffalo, who died in 2018.
'The Mitchells Vs. The Machines'
CAST: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudoplh, Mike Rianda, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman
RATING: PG
DESCRIPTION: Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) can’t wait to leave home and head to college, but the night before she’s set to fly out, she has an argument with her dad. To make amends, he packs up the car to drive her (and the rest of their family) to her first semester of film school so they can have one last chance at quality time together. Unfortunately, their trip is derailed when a Steve Jobs-like tech guru unveils his latest invention, an army of AI robots who prove to be more intelligent than anyone could have known.
The robots rise up and the Mitchells are the only family fortunate enough to escape capture from the devices-gone-bad, which means they need to start getting along, or else humanity will be lost to the robot overlords forever.
'Vegas Vacation'
CAST: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid, Ethan Embry
RATING: PG
DESCRIPTION: Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is one of celluloid’s most iconic dads… for better or worse. Oblivious, full of dad jokes, and certain that he knows best (when he clearly doesn’t), he’s a legend.
While Vegas Vacation isn’t nearly the best of National Lampoon’s Vacation films, it drops the Griswold family (complete with new kids… again… played by Ethan Embry and Marisol Nichols) into Vegas, and throws in Wayne Newton for good measure.
'Annie' (1982)
CAST: Albert Finney, Aileen Quinn, Ann Reinking, Carol Burnett, Tim Curry, Bernadette Peters
RATING: PG
DESCRIPTION: Is Annie a movie FOR dads? Depends on the dad! Is it about a man whose priorities change and he realizes that providing a life of opportunity for a young scamp is more important than his own fortune? Yes, for sure.
In the 1982 version of Annie, a young, song-happy orphan named Annie, played by Aileen Quinn, is taken in by Daddy Warbucks (Albert Finney) and his just-gotta-dance personal assistant Grace (Broadway legend Ann Reinking). Carol Burnett, who plays the drunk orphanage manager, and her accomplices, played by Tim Curry, and Bernadette Peters realize there’s a buck to be made if they can get Annie back from Daddy Warbucks so they hatch a plan to dupe them by posing as Annie’s long lost parents. Devious plans get thwarted, Annie meets FDR, climbs a bridge to avoid being killed, Daddy learns to love his new daughter, the whole thing is a damn delight.
'Lean On Me'
Hey, some people really like a "take-charge" kind of guy who intensely stalks the halls with a baseball bat. [Where to Stream Lean on Me] Everett Collection
CAST: Morgan Freeman, Beverly Todd, Robert Guillaume, Alan North, Lynne Thigpen
RATING: PG-13
DESCRIPTION: In 1989’s Lean On Me, Morgan Freeman plays Joe Clark, a former teacher who is appointed principal of a troubled New Jersey high school. Based on a true story, the story of Clark’s tough love approach in an effort to rid the school of its gangs, drug problems, and failing test scores is inspiring, with Clark becoming something of a beloved father figure to his students. Not everyone has a relationship with their dad, and Lean On Me‘s message is about finding that special person who can offer the right kind of paternal wisdom and encouragement we all could use.
'The Patriot'
CAST: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson
RATING: R
DESCRIPTION: This story about a family living through the American Revolution is both a story of war, and one of family loyalty.
Mel Gibson plays a widowed farmer whose time fighting the French and Indian War has turned him into a pacifist. As a result, he refuses to join the colonists in the war against Britain in 1776. To his chagrin, his eldest son (played by Heath Ledger) enlists and is later captured by the enemy, forcing his father to finally join up in order to rescue him, as he faces the enemy he had hoped to avoid. The things we do for our kids, huh?
'Da 5 Bloods'
CAST: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock
RATING: R
DESCRIPTION: This 2020 film from Spike Lee follows four Vietnam vets as they return to Southeast Asia in order to dig up their former squad leader’s remains, and find some possible treasure that’s buried there, too. When David (Jonathan Majors), the son of former soldier Paul’s (Delroy Lindo) tags along, the pair have to unravel some of their past issues as father and son.
What begins as an epic adventure film also offers some deep conversations about fatherhood and legacy.
'Dick Johnson Is Dead'
CAST: Dick Johnson, Kirsten Johnson
RATING: PG-13
DESCRIPTION: Dick Johnson is Dead was made by a father-daughter duo Dick and Kirsten Johnson after Dick was diagnosed with dementia. Father and daughter hilariously approach his demise by staging his death in increasingly hilarious ways. In an effort to memorialize her father and his legacy, Kirsten created this film as an this ode to his life and their bond. Fortunately, Dick has a wicked sense of humor himself and he plays along with her, even staging his own funeral, which he then watches overhead and offers his critiques of as it happens.
'Our Father'
RATING: TV-MA
DESCRIPTION: Okay, so Our Father may not feature the best depiction of fatherhood around, but this fascinating new documentary on Netflix is basically a look at one man’s quest to father, um, everyone. The true story about a fertility specialist in Indiana named Dr. Donald Cline reveals his deception and secrecy as he used his own sperm, rather than that of other donors, to inseminate countless patients. The result? Cline sired dozens of offspring, all half-siblings, born without the knowledge that they were his children.
'Mr. Universe: Jim Gaffigan'
CAST: Jim Gaffigan
Rating: TV-14
DESCRIPTION: Comedian Jim Gaffigan is known for a few things: his Midwestern good-naturedness, his penchant for “clean” comedy, and the fact that he is father to five children, who all manage to work their way into his act in some form or another. In his 2012 stand-up special Mr. Universe (one of a half-dozen of his available on Netflix), Gaffigan hilariously regales his audience with tales of fatherhood, Disney World, home births, and chicken McNuggets. If you have kids, you can definitely relate.
