Loosely based on a real-life relationship, About My Father shows us a father-son relationship that adds nothing new to its genre but has a lot of heart behind it.

Thanks to immigration and the search for “The American Dream,” Sebastian and Ellie have found each other in Chicago and are ready to take the next step in their relationship. To do this, Sebastian needs to get his grandmother’s ring from his father and get approval from Ellie’s elite D.C. parents. Even though both families are proud of their family history, coming from another country to make better lives for their children, Sebastian and Ellie have been raised in very different ways. These differences in class come together one Fourth of July weekend when Sebastian and his father head to Ellie’s summer home so the families can meet, looking to see how the other will fit into their different family dynamics.

This film is the definition of a comedy and does not try hard to branch out past that to tell this story. Sebastian Maniscalco has done many stand-up performances that honored his father and now he has decided to dive into the field of screenwriting to have an entire film loosely based on his relationship with his father, played by Robert De Niro. From the trailer, you can tell exactly what kind of comedy this is going to be.  Nothing about this film expands upon being a comedy; there is a little bit of a slap-stick element to it but not enough to classify it as such. What makes this film enjoyable is the heart you can tell is behind the story. What could have made the story stronger was trying to better incorporate that heart you can tell was put behind this project without the major focus being the comedic aspects of it.

Sebastian (Maniscalco) and Salvo (De Niro) play the father-son working class Italian immigrant story, in which the father is tough on the son and wants him to know that you have to work hard to get anywhere in life, always focusing on money and how you can cut corners when needed. They contrast against Ellie (Leslie Bibb) and her English immigrant family line that was able to excel to upper class, never having to worry about their financial situation. Her parents (David Rasche and Kim Cattrall) want nothing more than for Ellie and her two brothers (Andres Holm and Brett Dier) to succeed, no matter how many issues they may run into. It is a classic story of two completely different families coming together for the sake of their children even when their beliefs could not be farther from each other. This plays for some obvious humor – Ellie’s parents being sweet but overprotective while Salvo is confused about their lifestyle – and while it can get some chuckles, it is nothing to write home about.  

Maniscalco and De Niro have wonderful chemistry, however. They have believable performances as father and son that brings the love and the humor. Their dynamic carries the film but they also have a strong supporting cast behind them. The actors were the best part of this movie because of how outlandish their character traits are and how they are portraying them. Engaging and entertaining, everyone has a stand-out moment in the film, one of the best being between De Niro and Cattrall where they are prepping for her interview and realizing that they are not as different as originally thought. It is sweet and intimate and shows off not just the comedy chops of each of the actors but how personal they can get into their roles as well. If you like any of the actors in this movie, you are going to have a good time even if they do not have a lot to work with in terms of the stereotypical story they are in.

Overall, this is an enjoyable film with fun performances, but it does not try to expand much past what it is. A lot of heart was put into the story, but its execution falls short. It’s the perfect film to take your father to.

Grade: C+

Oscar Prospects:
Likely: None
Should Be Considered: None

Where to Watch: Theaters