Father Figures (2017)
I was expecting the male version of Mamma Mia! when I rented Father Figures, but it turned out to be far different. The original premise features two twin brothers who are told by their mother that there are a number of different men who might be their biological father. Turned for a loop, they set off on a road trip to find their true family. However, the rest of the movie features no similarity to the ABBA musical or the even earlier version Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell.
You’d better love the style of modern humor if you expect this movie to make you laugh. Thanks to social media’s encouragement of sarcastic comments while observing someone else’s interaction, movies have taken to writing in a character who serves as a Twitter commentator. Father Figures specializes in that type of humor, but if you don’t find it funny, you’ll be sitting on the couch asking, “When am I supposed to laugh?” Also, there’s an abundance of foul language that seems to be used for two purposes: to shock and make audiences laugh. This isn’t the type of heartwarming family flick you might have been expecting when you saw Ed Helms and Owen Wilson in the preview making little jokes with each other and hugging when times get tough. There was the potential for some sweet moments, but they were disrupted either by an outside observer or a random change in the plot from extreme silliness or danger.
This really could have been a better movie. Had the screenwriters intended to create meaning with each seemingly random encounter, or had focused more on the brothers’ relationship than making dirty jokes about their mother’s sex life, I would have enjoyed it far better. My favorite scene was the argument in parked car, when the two leads were finally given a chance to act. But with very few exceptions, Hollywood doesn’t let comedians act in dramas.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to strong language and sexual content, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.
More Owen Wilson movies here!
You’d better love the style of modern humor if you expect this movie to make you laugh. Thanks to social media’s encouragement of sarcastic comments while observing someone else’s interaction, movies have taken to writing in a character who serves as a Twitter commentator. Father Figures specializes in that type of humor, but if you don’t find it funny, you’ll be sitting on the couch asking, “When am I supposed to laugh?” Also, there’s an abundance of foul language that seems to be used for two purposes: to shock and make audiences laugh. This isn’t the type of heartwarming family flick you might have been expecting when you saw Ed Helms and Owen Wilson in the preview making little jokes with each other and hugging when times get tough. There was the potential for some sweet moments, but they were disrupted either by an outside observer or a random change in the plot from extreme silliness or danger.
This really could have been a better movie. Had the screenwriters intended to create meaning with each seemingly random encounter, or had focused more on the brothers’ relationship than making dirty jokes about their mother’s sex life, I would have enjoyed it far better. My favorite scene was the argument in parked car, when the two leads were finally given a chance to act. But with very few exceptions, Hollywood doesn’t let comedians act in dramas.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to strong language and sexual content, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.
More Owen Wilson movies here!