I Love My Dad (2022) Poster

(2022)

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7/10
FUN FILM
Draysan-Jennings17 August 2022
It's hard to believe this is based on a true story. Apparently this really happened to director/star of film. I'm not exactly sure how much of it is true, but it's still a crazy story either way. I recommend checking it out. 7 stars.
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6/10
Fun premise, pretty funny
FeastMode11 August 2022
I Love My Dad is an enjoyable movie. The fun premise is used in creative ways. I laughed a good amount, although there were a few very unfunny parts. I like the story and there are some solid performances. I had a good time with this one-time-viewing type of movie. (1 viewing, 8/10/2022)
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7/10
dad goes catfishing
ferguson-619 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
SXSW 2022 Greetings again from the darkness. It's difficult to know whether the biggest story here is that this is one of the cringiest movies you'll see or the fact that writer-director-star James Morosini based it on the actual relationship and events with his own father. Morosini opens the film with this: "The following actually happened. My dad asked me to tell you it didn't." That sounds kinda funny and sets the stage for some father-son conflict. But it certainly doesn't prepare us for what we are about to watch.

The always terrific Patton Oswalt plays Chuck, the father. We listen to a steady stream of voicemails Chuck leaves for his son over the years, and we know immediately what kind of absentee, break-another-promise father he's been to his son. Franklin (played by filmmaker Morosini) is finishing up his stint in therapy after a suicide attempt. By his side is his protective and worried and hopeful mother (Amy Landecker). Guess who is not there.

Being that it's a movie, albeit one based on real life, we wonder if this is going to be a story of redemption for the father, the son, both, or neither. As part of the boundaries set by Franklin after his therapy, he blocks his father from social media. So desperate he is to re-connect with his son that Chuck undertakes a catfishing strategy. Yep, he creates a fake account using the identity of a cute waitress named Becca (a charming Claudia Sulewski) to befriend Franklin and talk about life. Of course, Franklin is so in need of human interaction that he begins to fall for virtual Becca, and Chuck's mess just gets messier. He even involves his co-worker friend (Lil Rey Howery) and his boss/lover (Rachel Dratch), both who stand opposed to the whole thing.

The story is horribly sad and pathetic, but the actors inject enough levity that we aren't wallowing in pain while watching. In an innovative step, Becca and Franklin appear together during their texting conversations - well, it's a virtual representation of Franklin's imagination. Mr. Oswalt is extremely effective at generating human emotions in a guy that could easily be vilified as public enemy number one. At his core, Chuck is just a well-meaning guy who stinks at being a parent - despite being desperate to connect with his son. As a parent, presence is crucial and much of it is about effort. Desperation can lead to bad decisions, and Mr. Morosini bravely exposes his own turmoil for a film that might hit home to more people than we imagine.
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7/10
Cringe comedy with good acting performances and story
Cinnamental8 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I had a fun time watching this one. Writer/director/star Morosini did a great job here. I never felt bored during the movie. Every scene was cut the right way to keep the movie running along without dragging. There are some emotional moments with the dad and his son with the issues the son has. It never really explains why the dad was such an absentee father, especially with a son who is suicidal. You've just gotta go with the idea that he was a terrible dad and just wanted to get back into his son's life somehow. I'd watch it again.
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Not really a comedy...
banananatime16 December 2022
It might have started out as a comedy, and the trailer makes it seem as such, but in my opinion it's pretty dark. Isn't dark comedy a movie genre?

Perhaps there should be a warning about suicidal themes (not a spoiler)... Despite some pretty funny moments and some characters that brought a little light back to the film, I was filled with dread and anxiety the whole time. My heart broke several times.

Considering it's based on a true story, props to James Morosini for creating this very emotional film. And seemingly forgiving his dad? All of the actors were phenomenal as well. Can't think of anything else to say in order to hit the min character limit!
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6/10
You have to sit through a lot of "ick" to get to the "awww"
trinaboice20 August 2022
IN A NUTSHELL: The movie was directed and written by James Morosini. Kudos to him! As it turns out, this movie is actually based on his personal life experiences with his absentee father. Making this movie had to have been therapeutic for him and his dad.

THINGS I LIKED: There's something charming about Patton Oswalt. He does a great job in the movie and is also one of the producers of the film.

I really liked James Morosini and Claudia Sulewski together.

Lil Rel Howery has been showing up in all kinds of movies lately. Good for him.

The film illustrates complicated relationships very well.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: I had a hard time really liking and rooting for the dad because of the type of dad he was shown to be at the very beginning of the movie. He caused 100% of his own problems and proceeded to make them even worse.

There are some cringe moments for sure.

There are some equally cringe-singing moments.

You have to sit through a lot of "ick" to get to the "aww" moment.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Profanity and F-bombs Super crude conversations Super sexually-charged scenes Two men kiss Phone sex

THEMES: Catfishing Internet Suicide Family Pain Father-son relationship Honesty Dysfunctional relationships Social media

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7/10
All kinds of wrong, but an interesting movie.
Sleepin_Dragon24 June 2023
Franklin needs his dad Chuck, but after one broken promise after another, Franklin blocks his dad out, his only way of connecting, is by catfishing his son, the lie gets bigger and bigger.

This film was so much better than it should have been, after ten minutes or so I was ready to switch off, I'm actually glad I stuck with it.

I'm not sure I bought this as a comedy, I think I felt a little too sorry for Franklin to be able to laugh at anything that happened to him. There were some nice father/son moments, a couple of actual meaningful sequences.

I think it's the sheer outrageousness of the story that makes this film so utterly watchable, amazing to think it's actually inspired by real life events.

So it plays out like a hand grenade with the pin pulled out, you're just waiting for it to go off, and of course it does.

Is it like the worst possible thing you could do to someone, especially someone who's been dealing with mental health issues, ouch.

I rather enjoyed it.

7/10.
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7/10
An amusing little flick
r96sk21 June 2023
'I Love My Dad' works way better than it should!

All in all, it's an amusing little flick from 2022. Patton Oswalt is perfectly cast in his role, he is an actor who's work I want to see more and this is a good start in that regard. Elsewhere, Claudia Sulewski impresses highly. It's a fairly tricky role to take on I'd imagine, but she nailed it. Like Oswalt, hope to see more of her!

James Morosini plays Oswalt's character's son and Morosini is also the writer/director if this true (!) story - which I only just found out about as of typing this review, given I didn't know what he looked like and didn't clock the opening credits (assuming they made it clear he was also acting in it). That's cool! Lil Rel Howery is the best of the rest of the cast.

It's a well made film, its music is its standout feature away from those portraying events onscreen. The score for that scene where Rachel Dratch's character makes a discovery is magnificent, I was supremely impressed - it somehow fits so, so well. Scene of the movie, no doubt. Closely followed by the initial 'kissing' scene, admittedly,

None of the more heartfelt moments did anything for me personally, and there are some (intentionally, sure) cringey bits too. Overall though, I enjoyed watching it.
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8/10
We have to be honest here....
sngreolbrtd198314 August 2022
People these days are zone focused on superhero films. That all fine and well but when your aren't on that wave and you want something different and new this film gives you that. It's funny, sad, maddening and heartfelt. James Morosini I applaud you for putting yourself out there.
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7/10
Awkwardly good!
mani23525 June 2023
I only stumbled across this as it was featured on Sky, so I thought I'd give it a go. I never read what this was about, but man was I surprised!

This is really awkward to watch, based on the theme, but this is a seriously great movie with a brilliant cast. Edgy, funny and to think this was based on true events that the director experienced, makes this movie is more great to watch.

In the world of mobile phones, they can be a saviour or our biggest enemy, as this movie demonstrates. A very dark comedy that will keep you on the edge of your seats from start to finish. Highly recommended but be warned!
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1/10
Sick, Dysfunctional Father
lgordonsswc23 September 2022
Seriously, there is nothing to redeem this movie. It is not healthy to forgive parents or partners who operate on this level of toxicity. I actually think this film borders on dangerous on its portrayal of this father/son relationship as well as the father's relationship with his own girlfriend. The amount damage this father inflicts on his son and others before he "learns his lesson" is way over the top. His choices could have literally caused his son's death more than once but he keeps going on and on in his deceptions, hurting everyone in his path. Yet we're supposed to believe he's worth it.
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10/10
So much talent, creativity and heart here
skpn12315 August 2022
10 minutes into this film I was so creeped out by the father's behaviour I was going to stop and rate it 2 Stars as I thought it was another creepy Lifetime film but then I glanced at a write up and found out it was the true story of James Morosini's life and relationship with his Dad and I kept going.

Note to self: be aware of what genre you are watching and watch it right through before judging! Let me tell you it is not an easy watch but the comedic elements are spot on and this wild ride is perfect chaos. So creative and unique! I envisage it will be inspirational to many with broken family relationships and or mental health issues. Just look at this brilliance that the world could have missed out on! So glad I watched!
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7/10
A True Horror Comedy FIlm
genious-3541330 August 2022
There is an endless production line of lame horror movies that have no bite whatsoever. They are tepid and cliched - resrting to the same tired tactics that everyone can now see coming a mile away. And the new genre of horror comedy is just self-defeating, also resorting to lame gimmicks that have become. People need to remember that horror doesn't need to be some maniac killer with a hatchet or some zombie monster or whatever garbage that is put out there... you know... the kind of stuff that (alleged) musician Rob Zombie produced once he became a (alleged) director. All you need is to be horrified. And if you aren't horrified by some of the things that happen in this movie, I will question your familial upbringing. This isn't to say the ovie isn't enjoyable. It's actually this horror that makes the movie so great AND also what makes it one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. Don't let anyone tell you any details about it - just see it and enjoy how uncomfortable it can be. And remember: It's based on a true story.

Oh, and please don't refer to the movie as 'cringe'. In fact, stop people from using that word (incorrectly) whenever you hear it.
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1/10
The son might have forgiven him but I do not.
mrkellyparks20 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The father in this story is irredeemable. He should have had a heart attack and died. Sure there are funny moments but they are all out shadowed by the fact that there is nothing to love about the father character. He is a horrible excuse for a human being and if anything like the person that inspired the character, that person should be prosecuted, convicted, and rot in prison. You'll spend the entire time wondering why you are still watching this human garbage. Everything about the technical aspects of the film was good. The character is just a horrible person.
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6/10
So cringeworthy it was enjoyable...
paul_haakonsen30 August 2022
Well, first of all I have to say that writer and director James Morosini managed to put together a very unique and very different movie here.

When I sat down to watch "I Love My Dad", I did so without knowing what I was in for, aside from it being a comedy that had Patton Oswalt in a leading role. And that was essentially why I opted to watch this movie, plus the fact that I hadn't already seen it, of course.

The storyline in "I Love My Dad" was actually well written. Sure, this movie was crammed with so many cringeworthy moments and awkward situations that it was somewhat of an ordeal to sit through the movie. I wasn't brought to laughs here throughout the 96 minutes that the movie ran for. Instead, I was taken on a tour of cringeworthy and awkward moments that made me curl up my toes over and over. And on that account, then I will say that writer and director James Morosini did accomplish something outstanding and oddly entertaining with "I Love My Dad".

The whole concept of the storyline is just something that has to be seen and witnessed, because talking about it doesn't do "I Love My Dad" justice. This is something you want to see for yourself, trust me.

The movie is starring Patton Oswalt, and he does a great job in his role and he was so nicely cast for that character. I was not familiar with James Morosini whom played the son Franklin, but also was the writer and director. But I will say that he was also pulling his weight on the screen. It was nice to see Rachel Dratch on the screen, just a shame that she wasn't given more time on the screen though.

"I Love My Dad" is a very different and unique movie experience, and that is both the strong side of the movie, but also its weak side. Why? Well, there is a great chance of the storyline not finding a great wide appeal here, but at the same time it is a movie well-worth watching. And it should be said that "I Love My Dad" is definitely not your average standard run-of-the-mill comedy.

My rating of "I Love My Dad" lands on a six out of ten stars.
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8/10
Fancy Something Different?
onexmillion30 August 2022
Yes, it's super cringe, it has moments of hilarity and moments of sad, but it's all from a good place.

Great acting throughout and pacing of the film was spot on. Also enjoyed the soundtrack, particularly the acoustic piece for the end credits by Sonoda.

Definitely give this a watch if you fancy something different. Perhaps not suited to those easily offended.

Didn't really want to say anything other than that, but it's saying: Sorry, your review is too short. It needs to contain at least 600 characters.

Yep, it's still saying: Sorry, your review is too short. It needs to contain at least 600 characters.
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5/10
Trailer is deceptive
thejefflewis-9222818 September 2022
My family spent a good amount of time trying to find a movie to watch. After watching the trailer to "I Love My Dad", we thought this was going to be a fun, and hilarious movie. Well, unfortunately, all the best jokes are in the trailer. And since you already seen these jokes, there is nothing left to laugh at. "I Love My Dad" is closer to a drama than a comedy. It is a drama that is hard to relate to because the situation is bizarre. The texting conversations show how the son visualizes the girl, which makes the movie more watchable than if it just took place over texting. As a drama, I don't think the movie works.
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8/10
the perfect uncomfortable tone.
Rob-O-Cop3 September 2022
Congratulations to the director and writer of this film for steering his movie down the delicate path to land this story.

It came across as honest, and I forgot I was watching famous stand up comedian Patton Oswalt and cast and instead got immersed in a far fetched but believable story. They sold it well and the motives of the characters were true all the way through.

The acting and direction were spot on, and the script took you places you didn't feel comfortable going but pulled it off each time, turning in a very funny and very human story that felt real and had something to say and worthy messages and thoughts to offer.

Also of note was the editing and music choices, and the inventive way it chose to deal with the text conversations. It worked really well, and allowed the actors to shine.

This really is a standout story and film, a challenging movie in a sea of predictable and shallow visual candy.

Well done to everyone who made this movie and got this movie made. I hope it gets the viewing audience it deserves.
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5/10
Very cleverly written
Go_For_The_Jugular14 August 2022
This was a lot better than I expected.

Even though I already rate Patton Oswalt very highly, this still surpassed my expectations.

The story and plot isn't anything really original, but the way it's written is brilliant. I was really impressed with the way they made things intertwine.

I had to do a double-take when I saw Lil Rel Howery...as I didn't know he was in this...and immediately thought 'woah, that guy looks just like LRH!'. Unfortunately, he was way underused.

Overall, a very competent film. It's not perfect...and it needs polishing in places, but overall it was very watchable and enjoyable.

Ps- Nice touch using real home video footage of the lead actor as a young boy.
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10/10
Best movie I've seen in a decade
swimdconswim23 July 2022
I'm surprised to say this about a comedy, but this was The best movie I've seen in a decade. It's so much more than a comedy. Down to every little detail, it was brilliantly done. Cannot believe this story is true and it makes it that much better!

The storytelling was captivating and keeps moving along without any added bloat. The music created for this was perfect. I can't say enough good things about this film and it may have been patent Oswald's best performance. All of the acting was incredible but Patton's probably the only one you've seen before.

James Morosini will be doing big things.
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5/10
Imperfect but A for Effort
jisforjoe10 August 2022
What do you say to a movie that's a dud overall, but you don't want to discourage the creator from refining his craft? There were solid pieces here, and I'd like to see More-osini (🥁) from James in the future.
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10/10
Always Love Your Dad
dfreyberg_rocks23 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
As someone who had a very tense and one-sided relationship with their dad, this film made me miss him even more - and made me realise how lucky I was to have such a decent dad, even if he wasn't always nice to me.

I Love My Dad had me feeling all the emotions under the sun; awkwardness, second-hand embarrassment, sadness, but also sympathy. At the end of the day, Chuck was a dad trying to reconnect with his son after years of neglect, half-assed efforts and excuses. I related to Franklin a lot, because my dad was similar in how he chose to communicate with me. Even though we didn't always get along - same as Franklin and Chuck - he was always there if I needed someone, and would've done anything for me.

Go into this movie with an open mind and open heart, especially if you haven't always had the best relationship with your father. I applaud both Oswalt and Morosini on their performance in this loveable comedy. Definitely added to my favourite list of movies.
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1/10
A premise like this is just a sign of how degenerate a society has become.
etann-3670718 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
To borrow a quote from this show "this is creepy as F--K" Yes, yes it is.

Based on a true story apparently, well that tells you where the world is headed.

I read about a girl who was given up for adoption and after reuniting with her birth father, started and incestuous relationship then got pregnant and ended up being part of a murder suicide. That's a true story. I wouldn't want to see that recreated for entertainment. And the same for this "amusing" tale. It boggles the mind what gets past the script stage. A large group of people come together and say, YES, we need this in our lives. At least there is a sane voice in the story-line. But too bad there wasn't one pre-production.

This is like wiping your butt and taking the result to the dinner table. Maybe this is just gross-out humor and for people who don't mind getting a bit of feces on their fingers for a laugh. Does it have funny moments? Yeah sure, it's absurdist next level depravity on the screen. But if someone walks into a window, you still laugh even if they fall down and crack their head open. Part of that was still funny but not right in the end. I'm weary of clicking on stuff like this to watch as I don't want it to be a sign of encouragement, no I don't want anymore stuff like this. There are real-life stories of grandparents having love affairs with their own families, There is a real-life story about a teenage boys who want to marry their mother. "THAT'S INCEST!!!" to borrow another quote from this show, and no I'm not into watching that kind of stuff. And the promo material for the show, showing a kiss between the two is just proof of what they are really promoting with content like this, normalizing abject behavior.
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10/10
This is one of the best movies I have seen in a very long time
josborn513619 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the best movies I have seen in a very long time. Finally something very original from this extremely well put together cast. I've been looking for a movie like this for a long time.

The movie is not only funny, but has elements of drama, edge of the seat thriller type components and overall parental love.

This cast really knocked it out of the park on all levels. And they woven a few new components that I haven't seen in film.

I never thought I would see a movie about a father who is essentially cat fishing his son to get closer to him. But it works brilliantly. And I'm also glad to see fresh faces. The actor who played his son is brilliant and is essentially the next Jake Gyllenhaal. I hope to see him more. The actress who played the waitress was also really good. And I like the whole supporting cast.

This is a diamond. Amongst all of the movies that are out there right now, I just so happen to find this one. I feel very lucky tonight. I don't know what this genre is, but I really like it. Good job everybody.
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5/10
Passable Father and Son Film - I Love My Dad
arthur_tafero19 October 2022
Even though there are a dozen reasons to give this film less than five stars, I am a sucker for father and son movies. This one is about average for that genre, which has been done a few hundred times in Hollywood history. Some are extravagant productions, such as Superman, which has some great father and son moments; others are independent films, which generally give us more well-rounded motivations and characters. This film falls somewhere in the middle of those variables; consequently, the five-star rating. The father is the more interesting of the two protagonists, and Oswalt does a competent job here.
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