Father’s Day celebrates all the dads out there and reminds us to be grateful for these responsible fellas all year. In entertainment, great dads have been a mainstay for television sitcoms since the 1950s, but awesome fathers can be role models in movies, too. Here are 10 Movie Dads that we should celebrate on Father’s Day and throughout the year!
Jor-El (Marlon Brando), “Superman” (1978) – Planet Krypton is about to blow to smithereens, and everyone living on this space rock will perish. Luckily, Jor-El built a spaceship (that, admittedly, doesn’t seem very efficient nor fast) for his son to escape to Earth. That’s the ultimate present, but Jor-El, couldn’t you have made the ship a little bigger to fit you and your wife too? Just asking.
Tom Bueller (Lyman Ward), “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986) – Tom Bueller is a nice guy. He works at a lucrative white-collar job, provides a comfortable lifestyle for his family in the Chicago suburbs, and thinks that his teenage children – Ferris (Matthew Broderick) and Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) – are rock stars. What makes Tom one of the greatest dads? He’s generally unaware of his kids getting into mischief, which allows Ferris to skip school, drive a Ferrari, go to a Cubs game, and lead a downtown parade. Tom, you’re the best!
Jack Walsh (Harry Dean Stanton), “Pretty in Pink” (1986) – When Andie (Molly Ringwald) deals with snobs and struggles with dating, she turns to her dad (Stanton). Now, Jack doesn’t have is act together after his wife left. But his love for Andie is never in doubt, and his authentic words of wisdom are completely heartfelt, especially after a touching conversation around prom time.
Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), “Lethal Weapon” franchise (1987, 1989, 1992, 1998) – L.A. Police Department Sergeant Murtaugh may be getting too old for this s***, but if some baddies kidnap one of his kids, he’ll set down the Geritol and reading glasses and raise holy h*ll to take you out. Too old for this s***, my foot!
John and Ray Kinsella (Dwier Brown and Kevin Costner), “Field of Dreams” (1989) – On the sage advice of a voice that tells him, “If you build it, he will come,” Ray constructs a baseball diamond in the middle of his Iowa cornfield. Crazy, right? Well, he gets to meet his late father John, and since his old man was a great athlete, Ray gets to play catch with him whenever he wants. Oh, and his baseball park turns into a lucrative investment for his wife and daughter. Hey, can I fit a baseball field in my backyard?
Jim’s Dad (Eugene Levy), “American Pie” franchise (1999, 2001, 2003, 2012) – Due to happenstance, Jim (Jason Biggs) can’t keep his sexual frustrations and explorations private from his father. Even though Jim’s Dad is shaken from accidentally watching is son “damaging” a pie, he supports Jim and his very, very awkward journey.
Beanie Campbell (Vince Vaughn), “Old School” (2003) – Beanie has it all! This 30-something runs a successful business, has a beautiful wife, and he just started a fraternity with his buddies (Will Ferrell, Luke Wilson). A fraternity? Wow. Don’t worry about the frat becoming a bad influence on his kids though. Whenever Beanie is about to curse, he covers his infant’s ears and tells his other child, “Earmuffs,” so he’ll cover his own. Nicely done, Beanie!
James Lake (Bill Nighy), “About Time” (2013) – Most fathers hand meaningful gifts to their sons throughout their formative years. Well, James has a doozy for Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) on his 21st birthday. James informs him that the men in the family can travel back in time. Wow, really? Tim discovers his new powers to hopefully strike a romance with an American girl, Mary (Rachel McAdams). Good call, Tim!
Curtis Gentry (Craig Robinson), “Morris from America” (2016) – 13-year-old Morris (Markees Christmas) wants to be a rap artist, and he prefers one marshmallow in his hot chocolate. The latter is easier to manage. Morris’ dad Curtis isn’t managing easily after his wife’s passing and accepting a new soccer coach job in Heidelberg, Germany. Curtis is a single dad, and he earnestly tries his best to juggle fatherhood and work in a brand new place. We’re rooting for him and Morris to strike the right notes and enjoy comforting sips of hot chocolate.
