Mi Papá Es Un Peligro

I will preface my comments by saying that I'm a huge fan of Sebastian Maniscalco. I think he's a brilliant comedian and I admire his devotion to his family.

Ever since I discovered him several years ago, seeing him in concert has been on my bucket list. I was thrilled to finally have my wish come true last year, when he performed in Toronto. It coincided with my 65th birthday and it was the perfect gift for this newly-minted senior!

Now to About My Father. Sorry to say that it missed the mark in so many ways. First, Sebastian is way too old for the role. I had a hard time processing a 49-year-old man who had never married so eager to impress his in-laws. Not at all believable. The role would have been more suited to a much younger man in his 20s or 30s.

Leslie Bibb, who played Sebastian's fiance was way too perky, to the point of being annoying. I just wanted to slap her.

There were some mildly humorous parts, but not nearly enough. I get that this film was an homage to Sebastian's father, but I quickly tired of the sappy sentimentality. The voice-over narrative throughout was distracting and boring.

The only saving grace was DiNiro's performance. He was perfectly cast as an Italian-American dad. He did have some good lines which made me giggle, but again these were few and far between.

I admire Sebastian for attempting a feature film, but I think he should stick to stand-up or TV. I do wish him all the best in wherever his career takes him.

I might be biased as a fan of both Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert de Niro but I'll try my best. I liked the film's jokes, most land while also incorporating Maniscalco's stand-up material. This movie was light-hearted and fun. It was well cast, some scenes are genuinely hysterical, and I thought the supporting characters were really good.

But this film was overwhelmingly cheesy. The voiceover sometimes interrupts serious moments and becomes really obnoxious. There's a lot of unnecessary fluff in the middle to end section; the weird pacing and quick conclusion kind of ruins a lot.

The whole movie overall was fun and lighthearted, and the jokes land most of the time. Some stuff was so outrageous but it honestly works because at least my theatre laughed. It was cool to see how Sebastian's acting actually improved throughout the film, and Robert de Niro was delightful as always. But honestly it's more worth it to just watch Meet the Fockers as it does the whole "meeting in-laws" thing in a much funnier way. I'm glad he made this movie, and I know everyone is saying this, but I'd hope to see Sebastian Maniscalco just stick to stand-up in the future.

As a fan of both Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro, we finally got the duo we didn't know we needed. The chemistry between them as father and son was spot on and convincing. They were actually hilarious together. The story wasn't anything revolutionary that hasn't been done before, and it is predictable, but it was still a fun, turn-your-brain-off entertaining watch, especially with the excellent all-around casting ensemble that created a perfect balance of characters for both families. The humor was hit and miss, and mostly cheesy, but there were still some funny scenes where the cast elevated the humor. It certainly could've used more comedy and antics, as most of the funny parts are all in the trailer. Nevertheless, it's still a fun one-time watch, even if only to see De Niro and Maniscalco goof it up a little like a bunch of sappy meatballs.

This movie doesn't break any new ground and I can see why people call it a cheap knockoff of Meet the Dockers because Robert De Niro is in both but that's a disservice to this movie.

The premise is simple, a hard working/frugal immigrant and his son are going to meet his super rich fiancee's family at their house. Already a good setup for shenanigans and they deliver on it.

I saw some reviews bashing Di Niro's performance and I'm just not getting that vibe. This won't go on his highlight reel but he is funny and does what he needs too.

Sebastian Maniscalco is funny as always and does a great job. The lead actress plays her part well and so does everyone in the family.

Again nothing new here but it's a refreshing comedy in 2023 and one that I would recommend to catch at home. Not worth a theater visit but definitely worth a watch.

About My Father (2023) : Movie Review -

Laura Terruso somehow manages to merge an odd pairing of Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro as a son and a father, while most of the time they look like brothers, in his comedy "About My Father". Unlike the title suggests, the film isn't just about a father and a son, but the whole family, which is never mentioned until the climax. You might find the same formula of a father/guardian going to his soon-to-be in-laws' house in at least a dozen films, and you might also get to see references from the black & white era, but the overall gesture of the script is quite familiar with the modern pulse. There is fun, there is a little drama, there are comic gags, there is humour that's a bit adult, and then there are simple emotions far from intellectual and heavy thoughts. So, it's a fun weekend flick for the family, but there isn't anything more to it.

It was a pleasant shock to me to know that About My Father is loosely based on Sebastian Maniscalco's life and his relationship with his father. Maybe that's why he is named Sebestian in the film too. So, Sebestian finds the love of his life in a completely opposite girl, Ellie (Leslie Bibb), and wants to propose to her. On a casual call, her parents invite her and Seb for a weekend holiday. Sebestian cannot leave his father alone, so Ellie asks him to take him along. Sebestian's father, Salvo (Robert De Niro), a typical working-class man, content with whatever he has for him and for his son, joins Seb for a holiday. There they meet Ellie's parents, Bill (David Rasche) and Tigger (Kim Cattrall), and her siblings, Lucky (Anders Holm) and Doug (Brett Dier). Ashamed of his father's doings, Seb isn't comfortable, but will he find his without his father?

Set over a short period of time, the film revolves around the idea of two cultures' initial perception of having nothing in common becoming unified. More than the culture, it's about lifestyle and their point of view to look at their closed ones. About My Father is fun to watch, for sure. Those gags we missed in today's comedy can be found here. In about 90 minutes, you hardly get a moment to take a nap, and that's how engaging its screenplay is. More than the screenplay, it's the humour that has saved the day for them. You will witness a few cheap, below-the-belt jokes, but that is totally fine because they don't really go that vulgar. It's all words that don't have any limits. But that's alright because we are in 2023, and adult comedies have been freaking hellish since the 70s with Monty Python and many others. About My Father is still very much a clean, family film for the blind followers of Western and urban cultures.

Robert De Niro fans are in for a treat, as it's been a while since we have seen the star in such a whacky role. Is he funny? No no, he is the funniest of them all. Sebastian Maniscalco did look a little odd as a son of Niro, and one of the dialogues also mentions them as brothers. That was awkward, but funny too. Maniscalco is fine, and it wasn't a new thing to see him hitting it in every corner of the ground. The fashion diva Kim Cattrall has a stylish role and does it with finesse. I won't dare 'cut her short,' no way. From her very first scene, Leslie Bibb gives off those funky and carefree vibes that you love in female characters. It's not at all acidic, as one might expect. Virtuous Brett Dier is a hilarious person to know, while Anders Holm passes the screen without any turbulence. Big size David Rasche plays a big guy with sense, and you're gonna love him.

Produced by Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Andrew Miano, and Judi Marme, About My Father is a lavish affair despite a moderate budget. The technical team has done a good job, from editing to cinematography. The dialogue title deserves a special mention here, as he is the one responsible for the non-stop, continuous gags. The writing could have been better, as almost everything seems predictable here. No excitement, just the wait for the next scene to take place, just as you have assumed or visualised already. That's the only problem with this Laura Terruso's directorial. Laura did not try to mould traditional methods. Terruso just followed a simple root, old-school filmmaking, and mainstream path to deliver a time-paas popcorn flick. But yes, it has its heart in the right place, and that too, without any hard speeches. Not all sweet nuts have to be tough externally. So overall, a decent comedy that has emotions and teaches all the right things about your father, your parents, and the whole family. It's better if you can watch it with them.

RATING - 6/10*