The 7 Best Movies To Watch Over Father’s Day Weekend

Although many stadiums, arenas, and event spaces are opening up nationwide after more than a year in the COVID lockdown, chances are dads around the country are looking to spend a peaceful Father’s Day at home.

In between checking on burgers and brats, and checking sports scores, the celebration of fatherhood presents a chance for men (and masculine-identifying people) to enjoy the people that appreciate and support them.

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Sure, they’ll still have to take out the garbage and clean the garage. But when the paternal figures in your life get an opportunity to rest on their day, the best Father’s Day gift you can give is quality time. If his love language is quality time (or if he’s a movie buff), then you’re in luck because here are some of the best films to watch with dear ole dad (gramps, or great grandpa).

Daddy's Home (2015)

Genre Comedy

Stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini

Directed by Sean Anders

watch on Amazon

This comedy from director Sean Anders cashes in on the hilarious bromance actor Will Farrell shares with co-star Mark Wahlberg. Farrell stars as a mild-mannered radio executive who is the proud stepfather to his wife Sara’s two kids. Once the children’s biological father Dusty (Wahlberg) comes back into the picture, it becomes an all-out war for the hearts of Sara and the children.

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Fences (2016)

Genre Drama

Stars Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson

Directed by Denzel Washington

watch on Amazon

Based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 play of the same name, this Oscar-nominated film centers on the story of a Black working-class man dealing with his past demons while raising a family in the 1950’s. With film icon Denzel Washington in the director’s seat, Fences was praised by critics for how it blended impeccable cinematography into the storytelling while invoking a compelling emotional tone.

Bad Boys for Life (2020)

Genre Thriller, Action, Crime

Stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Paola Nuñez

Directed by Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah

watch on Amazon

Action flicks are big on any male-inspired holiday. Bad Boys For Life combines all the bravado and over-the-top car chases that men clamor for. This time around, Miami cops Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) square off against a mother-son duo of destructive drug dealers that show a questionable interest in one of the Bad Boys.

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Finding Nemo (2003)

Genre Animation, Family

Stars Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould

Directed by Andrew Stanton

watch on Disney+

If you have young kids, or are a young father yourself, here’s a good choice to keep the entire house glued to the living room. Follow the adventures of Dory, and concerned father Marlin as they journey to find the titular clownfish in this widely celebrated Disney movie.

He Got Game (1998)

Genre Drama

Stars Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Rosario Dawson

Directed by Spike Lee

watch on Hulu

NBA legend Ray Allen is a major success in his acting debut as a preps basketball phenom set on a path to stardom. Though the film has just a few action sports sequences, He Got Game dazzles in its portrayal of the ups and downs of a prodigious, rising athlete. While Jesus Shuttlesworth (Allen) may seem to have the world at his feet, his family issues bring him just as much pressure as scoring against double teams on the hardwood.

Taken (2008)

Genre Action, Thriller

Stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser

Directed by Pierre Morel

watch on Amazon

Over the years, Taken has become a cultural staple. The film is often depicted in memes and other digital media on the web. But when it was first released, it set a new precedent for action-thrillers. Retired CIA agent Bryan Mills traverses across Europe to save his daughter from the hands of nefarious traffickers with a particular set of skills. What film better showcases how far a father is willing to go to protect his child.

Big Daddy (1999)

Genre Comedy, Drama

Stars Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart

Directed by Dennis Dugan

watch on Amazon

When an aloof law school student adopts a wise-cracking boy to impress his girlfriend, he learns that fatherhood is nothing to be taken lightly. The boy warms up to his new foster parent and the two develop a heart-warming relationship that highlights one of Adam Sandler’s most beloved films to date.

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