Father’s Day is the perfect excuse to slow down, stay in, and enjoy a movie night with the family. While there’s no shortage of classic films that celebrate fatherhood, recent years have also delivered plenty of memorable stories about dads, father figures, and the complex relationships they share with their children.
Whether you’re looking for something uplifting, thought-provoking, or guaranteed to spark a conversation afterwards, these streaming picks offer a fresh take on fatherhood for your Father’s Day watchlist.
The Whale
Starting off this list, we have a truly emotional piece with The Whale. Released in 2022, the film follows Charlie, a reclusive English teacher who is struggling with severe obesity and deteriorating health. Aware that his time may be running out, he attempts to rebuild his relationship with his estranged teenage daughter, whom he has not seen for years.
Directed by Darren Aronofsky and adapted from Samuel D. Hunter’s stage play of the same name, The Whale centres on themes of regret, forgiveness, and the challenges of reconnecting with loved ones after a long period of separation. At the heart of the story is the strained relationship between a father and daughter, making it a fitting, if emotionally heavy, choice for those looking for a Father’s Day film that explores the more complicated side of parenthood.
The Father
Another emotional piece from the 2020s that highlights fatherhood is The Father. Released in 2020, the film follows Anthony, an ageing man living with dementia whose grasp on reality becomes increasingly uncertain. As his condition progresses, his daughter Anne tries to care for him while navigating the challenges and emotional strain that come with his declining health.
Directed by Florian Zeller and adapted from his stage play Le Père, the film places viewers in Anthony’s perspective, creating a portrayal of dementia that is often confusing, frustrating, and heartbreaking. While the story focuses on the experience of ageing and memory loss, it also examines the bond between a parent and child, showing how family roles can change over time.
News of the New World
Sometimes fatherhood can come from a found family, and News of the World is a prime example of that. Released in 2020, the film follows Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a former Civil War veteran who makes a living travelling from town to town reading news stories to local communities. During his travels, he is tasked with escorting Johanna, a young girl who was raised by the Kiowa people after being taken in as a child, to her remaining relatives.
As the pair journey across Texas, they face various challenges and gradually develop a bond that goes beyond their original arrangement. While Kidd is not Johanna’s biological father, the film explores how care, responsibility, and trust can create a parental relationship in unexpected circumstances. Starring Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel, News of the World offers a quieter take on fatherhood, focusing on the connections that can form between people brought together by chance.
Armageddon Time
If you want to explore more historical works, Armageddon Time is a 2022 coming-of-age drama that looks at fatherhood through the lens of expectations, upbringing, and social pressure. Set in 1980s New York and inspired by director James Gray’s own childhood, the film follows a young Jewish-American boy growing up in a strict household, where his parents have clear ideas about discipline, success, and behaviour.
Jeremy Strong and Anne Hathaway play his parents, who try to guide him while also holding firm to their own beliefs about what a “good future” should look like. As the boy forms a friendship that challenges his family’s values and exposes him to inequality and prejudice, the film also shows how parental decisions—well-intentioned or not—shape a child’s understanding of the world.
Mitchells vs The Machines
For something more lighthearted and family oriented, we have The Mitchells vs. the Machines, a 2021 animated sci-fi comedy about a very dysfunctional family that suddenly finds itself responsible for saving the world from a robot uprising. The story follows the Mitchells, a quirky, slightly chaotic family who are already struggling to connect with each other before their road trip is interrupted by a global tech takeover.
As the crisis unfolds, the family is forced to work together despite their differences, with much of the tension coming from the relationship between a creative, film-loving daughter and her father, who struggles to understand her interests and growing independence. What starts as a typical family trip quickly turns into a test of communication, acceptance, and learning to appreciate each other’s strengths.
Onward
Last but not least we have Onward, a 2020 animated fantasy adventure about two teenage elf brothers who set out on a journey after discovering a spell that could bring their late father back for one day. What begins as a simple attempt to reconnect with someone they never really got to know turns into a road trip-style quest filled with challenges, setbacks, and personal reflection.
As Ian and Barley navigate their world, the story focuses on how the brothers relate to each other in the absence of a father figure, with Ian in particular trying to understand who his father was and what that means for his own identity. While the film is set in a fantasy version of modern suburban life, its core idea is fairly straightforward: dealing with loss, growing up, and the ways family bonds continue to shape people even after someone is gone.
At the end of the day, Father’s Day is really about time. These films don’t just tell stories about fathers—they highlight the connections, conflicts, and quiet moments that come with them. So whether you’re laughing, tearing up, or just watching in silence, each one is a reminder of what those relationships mean.
