Father-son relationships are not always the easiest to navigate and sometimes, one party goes to extreme lengths just to make it work with the other. However, the lengths that Chuck goes to just to connect with his son in the film I Love My Dad is one that we don’t see every day. I Love My Dad tells the story of Chuck (Patton Oswalt) and his son, Franklin (James Morosini). The two have a strained relationship, not for Franklin’s lack of trying. Fed up, Franklin cuts off his dad by blocking him on all social media platforms. When Chuck realizes this, he creates a fake social media profile, impersonating “Becca” to reconnect with his son. However, Franklin falls in love with “Becca” and soon, Chuck finds himself taking Franklin on a road trip to meet up with “Becca.” The inspiration for I Love My Dad was drawn from Morosini’s real-life experience with his own father.
I Love My Dad is written and directed by James Morosini. The film also stars Claudia Sulewski, Rachel Dratch, Ricky Velez, Lil Rel Howery, and Amy Landecker. Oswalt produced the film alongside William Stertz, Sean King O'Grady, Sam Slater, Phil Keefe, Dane Eckerle, and Daniel Brandt. I Love My Dad premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 12, 2022, and won several awards including the Jury and Audience Awards in the Narrative Feature Competition. Looking for how to watch this offbeat comedy film? Here’s how, where, and when you can watch I Love My Dad.
What Is I Love My Dad About?
The official synopsis for I Love My Dad reads:
Inspired by writer, director, and star James Morosini’s true life experience, I LOVE MY DAD follows Chuck (Patton Oswalt), a hopelessly estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his troubled son, Franklin (Morosini). Blocked on social media and concerned for his son’s life, Chuck impersonates a waitress online and starts checking in with Franklin. But things begin to spiral when Franklin falls for this imaginary girl (Claudia Sulewski) and wants nothing more than to meet her in person, as Chuck has inadvertently catfished his own son. A thrilling comedy with an unexpected twist, I LOVE MY DAD also stars Rachel Dratch, Lil Rel Howery, Amy Landecker and Ricky Velez.
Watch the I Love My Dad Trailer
Is I Love My Dad Coming to Theaters?
I Love My Dad will be released in theatres on Friday, August 5, 2022. You can check for showtimes at a theater near you here.
Will I Love My Dad Be Available Online?
I Love My Dad will be released digitally on Friday, August 12, 2022. It is currently unknown if it will be coming to a streaming service but we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as the information is announced.
More Movies Like I Love My Dad That You Can Watch Now
Here are more movies about father-son relationships that you can watch before or after I Love My Dad:
Liar Liar (1997): Liar Liar is about a fast-track lawyer whose entire career is built on the basis of lies. However, his life takes a turn when his son’s birthday wish is for him not to lie for 24 hours and the wish comes true. Liar Liar was written by Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur and directed by Tom Shadyac. It stars Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, Jennifer Tilly, Swoosie Kurtz, Amanda Donohoe, Justin Cooper, and Anne Haney.
About a Boy (2002): About a Boy is an adaptation of the 1998 novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. The film follows a rich young man, Will, who invents an imaginary son and attends single-parent meetings in an attempt to meet women. But, when he meets an odd 12-year-old boy named Marcus who’s having problems at school, the two become close and Will teaches Marcus how to be a cool kid while Marcus teaches Will how to grow up. Although Marcus and Will are not biologically father and son, their relationship is still one for the books. About a Boy was written by Peter Hedges, Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz. The film was directed by Chris and Paul Weitz and stars Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and Rachel Weisz.
Finding Nemo (2003): Even in the animated world, fatherhood is no easy feat. Finding Nemo tells the story of Marlin, an overprotective clownfish, whose son gets abducted from the Great Barrier Reef and is dispatched to Sydney. Marlin enlists the help of a forgetful fish and embarks on a journey to rescue his son. Finding Nemo was written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, and David Reynolds. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton and stars the voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, and Geoffrey Rush. Finding Nemo was released to huge critical acclaim and won many awards including the Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature.
World's Greatest Dad (2009): Although a bit dark, this comedy film shows the lengths a father will go to to save his son’s dignity. World’s Greatest Dad is about Lance, a lonely high school teacher who’s also a single father. When his son dies in an autoerotic asphyxiation accident, he tries to salvage his son’s dignity by covering up the truth by hanging his body in a closet with a fake suicide note. But, things spiral out of control when a classmate publishes the “suicide note” in the school paper and soon, Lance is faced with an overwhelming amount of community and media attention. World’s Greatest Dad was written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. The film stars Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, Alexie Gilmore, and Lorraine Nicholson.
That's My Boy (2012): Like I Love My Dad, That’s My Boy focuses on a father who’s trying to mend his relationship with his son. The film follows a middle-aged alcoholic named Donny, who was once a celebrity. Donny tries to rekindle his relationship with his son, Todd, in hopes that their televised reunion will earn him enough money to avoid going to prison for tax evasion. That’s My Boy was written by David Caspe and directed by Sean Anders. The film stars Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Milo Ventimiglia, Vanilla Ice, and Susan Sarandon.