About My Father Movie Review: The thing with About My Father is that it reminded me a lot of films like Why Him? or Meet the Parents (which also stars Robert De Niro). It's the standard premise of a guy travelling to meet the girl's parents, and it makes the film appear a little conventional in execution, but it didn't matter in the end because of how much fun the film got to be. Sure, it doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary, but it was the chemistry between Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco that made the film’s overall message endearing. About My Father Trailer: Robert De Niro, Sebastian Maniscalco’s Comedy Drama Is Satirical, Funny and Awkward! (Watch Video).

Directed by Laura Terruso, About My Father is written by Sebastian Maniscalco and is loosely based on his relationship with his father. Maniscalco, who plays a fictional version of himself in the film, sees a fantastic opportunity to propose to his girlfriend when her family invites him to their holiday house during the Fourth of July weekend. So, when Maniscalco goes to his very traditional Italian father Salvo (Robert De Niro) to ask for his grandmother's wedding ring, he explains that he will only get it on the condition if he also meets the girl's parents. And thus, Salvo ends up joining Sebastian on the trip which sees the father and son finally embrace each other and try to be a happy family.

A Still From About My Father (Photo Credits: Lionsgate Pictures)

In a word, Maniscalco's script is familiar. It doesn't add anything new to the table, which often end up being detrimental to the film's quality. As I previously stated, it reminded me a lot of Meet the Parents, and that sense of familiarity is worrisome, but Maniscalco understands how to get around that. He has packed enough hysterical sequences that you'll be laughing the whole film. It paints a chaotic energy that is often distracting from its influences, and that comes through the chemistry of Maniscalco and De Niro.

If Maniscalco is the son who is striving to break away from tradition, De Niro's Salvo is the father who is deeply rooted in it and refuses to accept change. That conflict between father and son is what makes so much of the film worth seeing, and it's also often humorous that makes good use of past plot setups. The emotional side of Sebastian and Salvo's connection also contributes to the film's dramatic punch. If you're seeking for a father-son narrative with a heartwarming resolution, then About My Father will not disappoint.

Watch the Trailer for About My Father:

Ellie, played by Leslie Bibb, is also a lively and engaging romantic interest. She has that wonderful bubbliness, and About My Father avoids clichés by not making her family appear harsh to the guy she is dating, but rather nice. They are a prototype for the rich white pretentious family who are completely ignorant, and seeing them getting dumbed down for the screen had a strange appeal to it. Cannes 2023: Robert De Niro and Girlfriend Tiffany Chen Attend Vanity Fair x Prada Party.

While the emotional impact of About My Father is strong, the ending let the film in a strange manner. After a pretty good scene, About My Father just decides to close everything up abruptly, which is a strange choice. It felt like a significant amount of the film was still missing, and the hastiness harmed it a little. That's a shame, because the ending is the only thing that stands out in this enjoyable outing.

Yay!

Hilarious

De Niro and Maniscalco’s Chemistry

Nay!

Can Feel a Bit Familiar

The Ending

Final Thoughts

Despite its familiar influences and hasty finale, About My Father is a charming film that I recommend. Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro's father-son dynamic is poignant, and the film's humorous parts make it worth watching. About My Father releases in theatres on May 26, 2023.

Rating:3.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2023 12:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).