This time of year not only celebrates our dads, but reminds us of the people in our lives who take on that fatherly role. Though it means something different to everyone, fatherhood is rarely smooth sailing, and the chances of stuffing it up in one way or another are pretty high. However, as the fathers in these movies discover, even though parenthood pretty much guarantees that the best laid plans will go awry, it’s in those unexpected moments where what it truly means to be a dad is found.
People, Places, Things
Will Henry (Jemaine Clement), the protagonist of Jim Strouse’s 2015 comedy People, Places, Things, is the sort of father that some are lucky enough to recognise and others can only wish they did. His goofy enthusiasm for all things parenting is endearing to watch, born out of his total devotion to twin daughters Colette and Clio and his determination to pursue fun in every situation. Pizza for breakfast? Why not?
When Will’s relationship with the twins’ mother, Charlie (Stephanie Allynne) ends and he is faced with life as a single dad, the art teacher and graphic novelist must balance the challenges of shared custody, infidelity and a dating life he wasn’t expecting, without giving in to the potential for bitterness and regret that so often goes hand in hand with a separation.
Will’s unashamed honesty about his increasingly complicated home life is his secret weapon which, when presented in unfiltered and slightly unprofessional rawness to his students, is both hilarious and heartbreaking, in no small part due to the genius casting of Clement in the role. Love may not be able to conquer all, but this father’s love for his girls comes pretty close.
People, Places, Things is now streaming at SBS on Demand.
Looking Up
The pressure to get fatherhood just right can be overwhelming, especially when society is full of opinions, but who says you can’t make your own rules?
Ma Haowen (Chao Deng) in Chao Deng and Baimei Yu’s 2019 film, Looking Up, is a respected engineer until a freak accident tarnishes his reputation and lands him in a remote prison, forcing him to leave his family behind. Though he is later released, his life is changed forever as he remains shunned by the community of Dongpei and treated as an outcast. These events also have a lasting effect on his son, Ma Fei (Bai Yu) who finds himself enrolled in an exclusive boarding school where he struggles to fit in.
Though he never gives up the fight for his son to stay in school, Ma Haowen eventually realises that he is flailing, so bravely decides to buck the system and educate Ma Fei himself. Thus begins a series of life lessons that defy all educational convention but which create an unbreakable bond between father and son, instilling in Ma Fei a strong work ethic and courage to question that stay with him throughout his life. Being your child’s biggest champion really is the most powerful gift you can give them.
Looking Up is now streaming at SBS on Demand.
The Elephant and The Butterfly
Not all fathers are #dadgoals from day one, and for Antoine (Thomas Blanchard) in Belgian director Amélie van Elmbt’s 2017 drama, The Elephant And The Butterfly, parenthood definitely hasn’t gone to plan.
The hostility following his separation from partner Camille (Judith Chemla) saw him walk away from his daughter, Elsa (Lina Doillon) when she was just a baby. Five years on, she has no idea who he is. So far not so good. You have to give Antoine top marks for guts, though, as he turns up on the doorstep of his ex half a decade later, ready to try and reconnect with the little girl he left behind.
Timing is everything, and just moments after Antoine arrives, the serendipity of an imminent trip with her partner and an absent babysitter leaves Camille with no choice but to trust him with looking after Elsa. Though there are a few awkward stumbles and steep learning curves, there’s a blissful lack of animosity between the pair. Elsa teaches Antoine as much about himself as he teaches her, proof that when it comes to fatherhood, it’s never too late for a second chance.
The Elephant and The Butterfly is streaming now at SBS on Demand.
Family Law
Whether we admit it or not, the way our parents raised us will likely shape who we are and have a significant influence on the way we parent our own children, however imperfect.
Such is the case for Ariel Perelman (Daniel Hendler), law lecturer and protagonist of Daniel Burman’s 2006 dramedy, Family Law, who finds himself at a crossroads, attempting to dodge the shadow of his lawyer father, Bernardo (Arturo Goetz) and the comparison that has defined their relationship, all while figuring out what it means to be a dad himself.
Unbeknownst to his wife, Sandra (Julieta Díaz), Ariel is given an unexpected month off work and finds that his father is keen to make the most of his break. As he spends an increasing amount of time with his dad and is finally able to be present for his young son, Gastón (Eloy Burman), Ariel comes to the realisation that the best fathers learn to be good sons first. And he hasn’t been doing a great job of either. Though the film captures the unique experience of being caught between the roles of father and son, it also documents the importance of getting to know your parents as their own people before it’s too late.
Family Law is now streaming at SBS on Demand.
Graduation
The father figures in our lives are, more often than not, the crafters of our moral compass, but what happens when their love for us steers them off course?
Dr Romeo Aldea (Adrian Titieni) in Cristian Mungiu’s 2016 crime drama, Graduation, is one fiercely protective dad, totally devoted to the success of his daughter, Eliza (Maria-Victoria Dragus) and prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure her place at the prestigious Cambridge University. Everything appears to be on track until Eliza is assaulted on her way to school, injures her wrist and has her entrance exam compromised as a result.
Though Eliza is content to accept a life in Romania, Romeo is not only furious about the attack, but refuses to abandon the plan. His refusal puts his integrity to the test, and when he is made an offer to fix Eliza’s results in hope of gaining her a scholarship, he feels it is a chance he cannot refuse. Though this is the beginning of a web of lies and corruption that could not only see him prosecuted, but destroy his relationship with his daughter, it’s a risk Romeo feels he must take. Moral of the story: never get in the way of the love a father has for his daughter.
Graduation is now streaming at SBS on Demand.
