Väter und Töchter - Ein ganzes Leben

This film tells the story of a successful writer who loses his wife in a car crash. He struggles with mental health and physical health issues, in addition to the challenges of taking care for his eight year old daughter.

The story is surely going to touch many people, as it contains most tear jerking elements that exist in the world. A little girl losing her mother, a writer who struggles in every facet of his life and a woman who is afraid of love. I can relate to some of these characters, and I have friends who are just like some characters in the film. The characters appears to be like ones in real life I connect with them and I can feel their pain. The presence of many great actors and actresses is also a big bonus. I wonder if this is a film based on a true story.

Based strictly on content, "Fathers & Daughters" is not the type of movie I would usually see. However, after watching the trailer and seeing the star power of Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, and Aaron Paul, I decided to give it a try. While the plot of this film can be a bit shaky at times, one almost doesn't realize it because the quality of the acting invokes such strong emotions all the way through.

For a basic plot summary, "Fathers & Daughters" opens with writer Jake Davis (Crowe) struggling to cope with his life after the loss of his wife in a car accident. Fortunately, he still has his lovely daughter Katie (Kylie Rogers), but even that is threatened when his seizures and medical problems begin. Flash-forward 20-some years later, and Katie (Seyfried) has grown up to become a successful social worker...who is also as promiscuous as they come in terms of love life. However, when a new little girl named Lucy (Quvenzhane Wallis) is put in her care, and then Katie meets Cameron (Paul), she begins to be confronted by the demons in her life that have caused her so much pain.

I wish I could say that "Fathers & Daughters" is a "best of all-time" type of movie, but the fact is that it isn't. The writers/producers/director make some head-scratching choices about how they play the narrative out, and there are a few key plot points missing that probably needed to be included to make this a "tighter" film. So, this is really more of a "niche" film built on emotion.

But boy oh boy, though, does that niche ever get filled perfectly here! I'm not usually one to get overly emotional during a film-watching experience (at least visually), but "Fathers & Daughters" moved me to tears on a few occasions. It truly is that powerful of a film, as it deals primarily with the relationship between a father and daughter (something that isn't always seen in these types of films). It would have been very, very easy for this film to turn into a typical tearjerker, as all the elements for it are indeed present. Fortunately, although not without a few hiccups along the way, it ends up producing natural instead of contrived emotions, which I have a great deal of respect for. All the emotional moments in the movie feel earned.

In large part, I believe that is due to the incredible acting performances in the flick. It has been awhile since I've seen a movie where every performance was this spot-on. Crowe really commits (and when that happens, he's always golden), Seyfried is (as usual) perfect for her role, and Paul is absolutely killing every role he takes these days. Even the youngsters, Wallis and especially Rogers, bring the emotion perfectly.

So, while "Fathers & Daughters" may not rise to elite heights due to a few storytelling difficulties, it has more than enough acting and emotion to be a solid film. It uncommonly moved me during my viewing of it, and I will always remember the experience because of it. Even if this doesn't look like your "cup of tea", you may want to give it a chance, as more than likely you'll be moved as well.

Fathers And Daughters: A movie that would have made me book the first flight home without waiting for holidays if I still lived overseas. I mean it. Yes, I'm a "daddy's girl", and I've been lucky enough to enjoy this beautiful movie with my father (well, my mum and brother were there too, but dad was a 'must' from what I'd heard about the film). As one can easily guess after seeing the trailer, it's a touching piece, and the cast does a great job in reflecting the story on screen. Gabriele Muccino delivers the plot with a non-cliché flow, he's very successful with the flashbacks, and one of the strongest aspects of F & D is the amazingly beautiful music, in my opinion. Particularly the Carpenter's cover by Michael Bolton, Close To You adds so much, not to mention that it squeezes your heart during a particular scene. Speaking of heart-squeezing, I think Russell Crowe has made a habit of making his audience cry, especially with The Water Diviner and now, with Fathers and Daughters. As expected, he does not just act, he 'becomes' Jake Davis, and forms multiple lumps in your throat with the character he portrays. As one of the best actors of our time, if not the very best, he's simply amazing. Also, the chemistry between R. Crowe and Kylie Anne Rogers is great, it's heart-warming and so 'real', if I may say so. Kylie Anne is the sweetest potato chip, that goes without saying, and I need to add that at some point I did hate Bruce Greenwood and Diane Kruger.. well, not them, but the characters they played, of course. Needless to say, Jane Fonda was one of the shining stars of F & D, and I think Amanda Seyfried and Aaron Paul were well-chosen for their respective roles, *thumbs up* to them both. Taken together, I loved the story, it was beautifully transformed into a tear-jerker on screen, and I sincerely hope this movie gets released in every country -because it's a sweet piece of art which reminds you of the most important and valuable things in life. PS: Keep tissues nearby when you're seeing F & D. Am not kidding.

Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfriend, and Aaron Paul do a fantastic job with the sorrowful story of a father and daughter and the relationships their within. Several other reviews call for boxes and boxes of tissues. I did not have that experience at all. How this did not get more nominations escapes me.

After his wife's death, Russell Crowe can't cope with being a single father. He may be a beloved successful writer, but he has deep psychological problems. Twenty-five years later, his daughter Amanda Seyfried is getting her masters in psychology and volunteering at a children's center. The film cuts back and forth between the past and the present, and while normally I don't like those types of movies, Fathers & Daughters is an exception.

For some unknown reason, this film was completely ignored during awards season, even though the acting is phenomenal and Brad Desch's script is powerful. Russell Crowe gives the type of performance that is deserving of an Oscar, but he didn't even get a nomination. He hasn't shown off his acting chops like this in over ten years. Kylie Rogers plays his little girl, and her performance in the film is incredible and heart-wrenching. I hope she has a marvelous career as she grows up; child actresses with that much talent are hard to find. Amanda Seyfried branches out of her teen image, and is very convincing as a young adult with lots of problems. And before you judge her too harshly, remember it's just her character. Her unlikability isn't really her fault.

This is a very heavy movie, so get out your Kleenexes and have the pause button ready; you'll need to take a couple of breaks and have a good cry. I watched it with my mom, but anyone brave enough to watch it with her dad will probably shed twice as many tears. Rent it, though, even if you need to watch it by yourself. It's worth it.