About My Father

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.

An example of glad I have the regal subscription yet I sill enjoyed a fair amount. Sebastian Maniscalco is pretty good as actor/co writer and Robert De Niro is still legendary even at his age! About My Father is a decent goofy romance that is focused on a trip to see family of the girlfriend Leslie Bibb's character and potential proposal which is charming, has great moments, and more entertaining than I expected. Pretty solid I understand the ratings, I'm sure Sebastian is a much better stand up comedian. I loved the most all the spiritual vibes of Doug and every time Robert De Niro talked to him that was delightful!

This is a difficult movie to review, because, by all intents and purposes, it isn't good. Less a coherent narrative and more a random collection of scenes, "About My Father" is a so-called comedy that seemingly spares no expense to get a laugh. From carefully constructed comedic set pieces to jokey monologues and silly slapstick - all with the intent of making the audience laugh - "About My Father" has all the right ingredients to be the next laugh out loud hit of the summer. But is the film actually funny? Yes and no.

It bears repeating that "About My Father" isn't a good film, but you knew that already; no one can watch the trailer for this movie and legitimately think that it's going to be good (except for my mother, my father, and my grandmother, who all watched and trailer and were excited to see this movie). However, if you go in with the right mindset - preferably the mindset one gets from indulging in certain alcoholic beverages - I believe you can have a good time with this.

Look, is this movie a theatrical experience? Of course not. This is, without a doubt, a direct to DVD movie that someone, somewhere, greased the right hands to get released in theatres. That said, if you find yourself in a situation where you're forced to see this movie on a silver screen near you, I don't think you'll have a terrible time. There's nothing original in this movie, and it is by no means clever. In fact, "instantly" and "forgettable" are two perfect words to summarize this movie. But I can't deny that I was smiling and chuckling from beginning to end.

There's crude, somewhat naughty humor here; there's ridiculous facial expressions and comedic reactions to the goings on of the movie; all of it is wrapped around a story you've seen done, and done better, a billion times before - but that's not to say that there isn't entertainment value here. This is a silly, ridiculous movie, but it's one that offers some fun if you're willing to turn off your brain, forget about the plot, and focus on the gags. And while for me personally nothing ever made me belly laugh, I found myself chuckling constantly; it's also relevant to say that I saw this in a packed theatre, and everyone was laughing from beginning to end, so take that how you will.

"About My Father" is, once again, a bad movie, but I don't think you'll hate it, because I didn't hate it, and I fully expected to. In fact, I was dreading to see this movie, but once it started I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I was having a good time (and yes, the alcohol may have helped). So, if you're on the fence about this movie and wondering whether or not you should see it, I would recommend that you should, but definitely wait for it to release on DVD or on streaming; this is by no means a theatre experience. But, if you're at home, with some brews, and have literally nothing else to do, you could find a worse way to spend an afternoon.

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*

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.