by brettmerritt (bio)
I love movies. There is almost nothing like the way a film can convey hundreds of messages to nearly all of our senses at the same time. Movies have always had an effect on me but as I've aged and gathered more experiences, I find myself being especially touched by movies where fathers must overcome some type of obstacle to end up doing what's best for their wife and kids.
Here, in order of their manly-cry factor, are the best films that address fatherhood in all its many forms:
Finding Nemo - What would you do to protect or save your kids? Everything.
Memorable Quote: "I have to get out of here! I have to find my son! I have to tell him how old sea turtles are!"
About a Boy - While Hugh Grant isn't technically the boy's dad, the movie shows how, in order to be a dad or father figure, we have to get over ourselves first.
Memorable Quote: "Once you open your door to one person anyone can come in."
To Kill a Mockingbird - It's almost unfair how good a dad Atticus Finch is. Still, it's a nice benchmark to strive toward.
Memorable Quote: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."
My Life - I often think about what my video history will show my grown-up kids about the kind of dad I was. Will it be a record they'll watch with fondness?
Memorable Quote: "It's not enough to marry goodness, you have to find it in yourself."
Field of Dreams - Sometimes our relationships with our dads need time before we can see what they really mean to us. Sometimes we just need to play catch with him, whatever form that takes.
Memorable Quote: "Go the distance."
The Pursuit of Happyness - Hardship can often be a great teacher for our kids and the best test of a man's character.
Memorable Quote: "You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period."
Paper Moon - No matter what we do for our livelihood, we should be trying to make the journey our kids take with us when we're not working as memorable as possible.
Memorable Quotes: "You still owe me two hundred dollars."
Royal Tenenbaums - If we only have time to love ourselves, our kids will suffer. Still, it's never too late to start making a change for the better.
Memorable Quote: "Look, I know I'm going to be the bad guy on this one, but I just want to say the last six days have been the best six days of probably my whole life."
Fantastic Mr. Fox - To kids, life is an adventure. Dads get to be the architect of it.
Memorable Quotes: "Honey, I am seven fox years old. My father died at seven and a half. I don't want to live in a hole anymore, and I'm going to do something about it."
Road to Perdition - We are all far from perfect. Despite this we still try to raise our kids to be better than us as well as the best they can be.
Memorable Quote: "When people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man, or if there was just no good in him at all, I always give the same answer. I just tell them ... he was my father."
Honorable Mentions: Father of the Bride, Parenthood, Sleepless in Seattle, Mr. Mom, Big Fish, Kramer vs. Kramer, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
What's your ranking? What movies did I miss?
