How many of you remember watching The Lion King with your father and getting wet eyes?
Emotional, right? Wasn’t it one of the best moments of our lives, eh dads?
Watching movies with my father is one of my most cherished childhood memories. Those movies taught me a lot of things – the importance of my relationship with my dad, what sacrifices fathers make for their kids, etc.
It’s like… all of the things that my father felt, but couldn’t say to me, they were shown in those movies.
On the way, those movies gave me some valuable life lessons. Even today, when I see a dialogue from one of those movies, I instantly think of my dad.
It never fails to put a smile on my face.
It was easy back then. Father used to choose a movie and we both then watch it together.
But, now it’s not that easy with my kids.
See, the problem is that I am old school (not that old tbh), and my kids are from this generation – the generation that knows it all (or at least pretends to know it all)!
Agreeing upon a movie that is liked by both father (Gen X) and kids (Gen Z) is not an easy job.
Our movie choices are too old for them, and the movies they like are too hip for us.
But, thankfully, Hollywood, over time, has created some wonderful movies that portray the beautiful relationship between father and kids.
Some of them will make you cry, some will take you by surprise, but all of these movies are a fantastic watch for the father-son duo.
So, this my list of all the movies that could be a perfect watch for fathers and sons. Let’s see what these ultimate movies are:
The Pursuit of Happyness
Will Smith and his son melted so many hearts with their poignant depiction of a father-son relationship.
The film is all about the struggle a father endures to provide the best life to his children.
The story revolves around Chris Gardner (Will Smith) and his son Christopher (Jaden Smith). The father dreams of becoming a stockbroker while struggling with his life.
The story is full of moments of unconditional love between a father and his son. Also, the dialogues give you numerous life lessons to remember.
The beauty of this movie is the advice that Will Smith gives from time to time to his son about life.
Secondly, the struggles that Will Smith faces with his son will make you and your son cry for sure. Therefore, this movie is a must-watch if you want to have a heartwarming moment with your child.
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo and Harry Potter series – these two movies are loved by kids of all ages.
Finding Nemo is a movie showing the father-son relationship in a heart-touching manner.
It is a timeless classic. That’s why, despite being 17-years old, it is still one of the best movies for fathers and sons to watch together.
The story revolves around a worried Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) who is searching for his lost son Nemo (voice of Alexander Gould) in the ocean.
The whole journey is sweet and touching. There are a lot of emotions in the movie, so, keep a pack of tissue with you while you enjoy the movie.
One of the most heartwarming dialogues from the movie comes from Marlin himself for Nemo:
There is also a lesson for dads who are too protective of the choices their kids make in life.
This movie tells the dads that it is OK to give freedom to your kids and trust them with their decisions.
Catch me if you can
A rather surprising entry on the list, you might think.
But, Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks showcase a beautiful on-screen relationship, not father-and-son though.
Leo is a con artist while Tom played a government official trying to catch him. From a distance, it might feel like a cat-and-mouse chase, but in reality, it is a journey about a son who wants to prove something to his father.
The emotional father-son appeal in the movie makes it a perfect watch.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Talk about iconic movies in any genre, and it would be impossible to complete the list without mentioning a movie by Tom Hanks.
The movie is about Fred Rogers, presenter of the iconic TV show for children, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The show aired in the US from 1968 to 2001.
In the movie, Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is a writer who is told to interview Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks). Lloyd was cynical of Rogers’ affability and affection.
As the movie progresses, Lloyd gets closer to Rogers and starts opening up about his childhood. Rogers’ kindness compelled him to talk about his strained relationship with his father and how it had affected him over the years.
The movie is a treat for father and son, where you’ll get to enjoy the heart-felt performance of Tom Hanks.
Lion King
If you ask me to name a movie that I watched with my father, and now I want to watch it with my son, it will be Lion King.
Even though I am a dad now, I have no shame in admitting that this movie still makes me emotional.
The Lion King takes the father-son relationship to a whole new level.
Throughout the movie, the Mufasa teaches his son Simba real-life concepts of life and how to take the challenges head-on without feeling overwhelmed.
Boyhood
Boyhood is a movie that was shot for 12 years to show the coming-of-age of a boy.
The 12 years show the growth of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from a school going kid, to a grown-up boy ready to go to college.
Mason and his sister are living with their mothers after the separation of their parents. The story revolves around him, navigating life and fighting his battles.
It is a gripping tale of a father-son relationship. The movie is full of emotional moments that both fathers and sons could relate with.
In a Nutshell
These are some of the movies that I think are a must-watch for fathers and sons.
All these movies leave you with invaluable life lessons that strengthen the father-son bond and make them more comfortable in expressing their feelings.
It is important for fathers to spend quality time with their sons as it helps improve the relationship between them.
Watching a movie together can be a highly productive activity as sometimes, movies are the best medium to convey something to your kids that you can’t directly say to them.
