The father figures of film history have had a good go of it. Across a diverse range of stories, genres, roles and performers, we’ve seen dads of all kinds reflected in the flicks on our screens. They’re not all perfect, because which dad is (heck, which person is), but through their complex explorations of cultural identity, masculinity, fatherhood, care and love, they make a pretty rad bunch. Spy some of our favourite films about dads and father types below. And, you know, maybe even fire one up this Sunday with the dad type in your life.

SENTIMENTAL VALUE OK, when we say dads are complex, we’re talking about Stellan Skarsgård’s family guy in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. The latest feature from the Norwegian director who brought us The Worst Person in the World, Trier’s 2025 flick follows the top-notch Renate Reinsve as the stage fright-stricken Nora as her movie director father (Skarsgård) worms his way back into her life. There are some hurdles, some bumps in the road, so detours of familial conflict, but the humanness of their father-daughter relationship and the ways in which they come together is heart-clenching enough to make it all worth it. Plus, it’s pretty as hell to feast your peepers on!

C’MON C’MON A beautiful meditation on what it’s like to assume the role of a caregiver to a kid that isn’t your own, Mike Mills’ 2021 C’mon C’mon will hit you where it hurts. And also where it feels good. And then where it hurts again. This lovely flick follows Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) as he minds his nine-year-old nephew Jesse (Woody Norman) while Johnny’s sister is on caregiving duties of her own. What follows is all the hilarity and drama that comes with any pre-teen child, as well as a fair amount of honesty in how Jesse understands, and is learning to understand, the world around him.

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS Wes Anderson’s third feature film and possibly the most parodied in terms of dress-up party costumes (looking at you, Gwyneth’s fur coat), 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums announced the stylistic world of Mr Aesthetics Anderson to world. The titular Royal Tenenbaum (played by the late, great Gene Hackman) attempts to repair his relationship with his three estranged adult children and subsequent grandchildren in a series of deceptions, performances and major fluff ups, only to accidentally lead them to repairing their relationship with one another... without him. He’s not a perfect dad, that’s for sure – but narcisistic charm is really only a cover-up for the teddy bear heart he’s hiding inside.

MOONLIGHT Some of the best dads in film history are the ones that share no biology with the child they’re being a father to – Barry Jenkins’ 2016 Moonlight certainly has one of them. Told in three chapters over the course of Chiron’s coming-of-age, it’s in the first chapter that Mahershala Ali as Juan demonstrates the kind of care, love and affection that sets up the exploration of masculinity and selfhood that defines the rest of the movie. Stepping into the role of a father figure friend when Chiron’s own parents can't, Mahershala’s portrayal of an unrelated dad type will cut you right to the core, and then keep you thinking about it for years (11, even!) to come.

EIGHT GRADE Being a teenager sucks, right? Being a 13-year-old in 2018? The worst. But also… the best? Bo Burnham’s directorial feature film debut Eight Grade hits the adolescent nail on the head in this hilarious and heartbreaking story of trying to fit in. While Kayla (Elsie Fisher) struggles through her last week of middle school, trying to work out her place in the playground and who she is beneath her “quiet girl” exterior, it’s the relationship with Kayla’s single father, Mark (Josh Hamilton), that reminds you that life moves on after middle school – even when it feels like your whole life is middle school. Falling into the category of a “dad just trying his best to understand his teenage daughter but failing miserably”, Eight Grade is one of the most real depictions of a father-daughter relationship in this modern age of Snapchat.

After more nice movies? Fire up these flicks about mums or check out these films about love. Plus, sign up to our newsletter to never miss an ace list of flicks.