Dad
A driven executive caring for his aging father discovers that repairing one family bond may rescue another, just as illness threatens to erase the progress they have made.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- sentimental
- melancholic
- tender
- quiet evening
- family drama night
What critics said
Critics found the film an emotionally loaded, melodramatic examination of aging, senility, reconciliation, and father-son relationships, while singling out Jack Lemmon's performance for acclaim.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John becomes Jake's caretaker, teaches him independence, and confronts the consequences of aging-related decline.
John grows closer to Jake while also rebuilding his relationship with his estranged son Billy.
Jake's hospitalization, later dementia, and the family's response drive the film's emotional structure.
John's changing relationship with Jake parallels his effort to reconnect with Billy and understand his own absence as a father.
Films like Dad, and why
The Straight Story
shared intergenerational family drama, aging parents, reconciliation, and emotionally direct sentiment
Terms of Endearment
shared parent child estrangement, illness, reconciliation, and bittersweet domestic drama
The Champ
shared father son conflict, emotional reconciliation, and mature family melodrama
Driving Miss Daisy
shared caregiving drama, generational tension, and humane treatment of aging and dependency
Movie Details
- Director
- Gary David Goldberg
- Release Date
- 1989-10-27
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (114)
Cast
- Jack Lemmon
- Ted Danson
- Ethan Hawke
- Kevin Spacey
- Olympia Dukakis
- Kathy Baker
- Zakes Mokae
- J.T. Walsh
- Peter Michael Goetz
- John Apicella
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dad about?
- A driven executive caring for his aging father discovers that repairing one family bond may rescue another, just as illness threatens to erase the progress they have made.
- What is Dad like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dad as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Dad violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Dad.
- What did critics think of Dad?
- Critics found the film an emotionally loaded, melodramatic examination of aging, senility, reconciliation, and father-son relationships, while singling out Jack Lemmon's performance for acclaim.
- Which films are like Dad?
- Films with a similar feel include The Straight Story, Terms of Endearment, The Champ, and Driving Miss Daisy.
- How long is Dad?
- Dad runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dad?
- In United States, Dad is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
