Film

About My Father

Name: About My Father
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2023
Cast: Sebastian Maniscalco, Robert De Niro, Leslie Bibb, Anders Holm, David Rasche

Comedy
Light-hearted

A fish-out-of-water comedy where a loud, meatball-loving Italian father crashes a stuffy WASP family's Fourth of July weekend. De Niro plays against type as Salvo, all volume and appetite; Maniscalco plays the son caught between worlds. It's broad, warm, and built entirely on the premise that culture shock is hilarious—which, if you're in the mood for it, genuinely is.

TMDb rating

3.0

If you liked this

Meet the Parents2000

The original culture-clash comedy that works because it understands what's actually uncomfortable about meeting your girlfriend's family—not just the jokes, but the genuine stakes underneath.

But It can feel dated now, and Ben Stiller's anxiety-humor brand has worn a groove in comedy since then.

The Godfather Part II1974

De Niro as a young Vito Corleone is mesmerizing—this is the performance that made him a star, and it shows why he's in every major film made in the last fifty years.

But It's three and a half hours, and the immigrant father here is a crime boss, not a comedy relief. The tones couldn't be further apart.

Breakfast at Tiffany's1961

Holly Golightly crashes into high society and nobody knows what to do about it. Audrey Hepburn makes fish-out-of-water feel elegant and surprisingly tender.

But The dated racial humor is genuinely cringe, and the romance plot assumes a worldview about women that's hard to swallow now.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from About My Father

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Monsignor1982

Both feature an immigrant's son trying to bridge two worlds—here, it's spiritual and temporal rather than social, but the core tension of divided loyalty is identical.

Christopher Reeve as a Vatican priest caught between two worlds—ecclesiastical power and American entrepreneurship. It's a genuinely weird, weirdly sincere attempt to make a spiritual thriller about ambition and loyalty.

But It's bewilderingly bad in places, the plot is convoluted, and it takes itself far too seriously for what it actually is. It's a cult film, not a successful one.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding2002

The spiritual ancestor of this exact movie—immigrant family, fish-out-of-water, a girlfriend's wealthy parents, and it genuinely lands the warmth underneath the jokes.

But Once you've seen it, the beats become very familiar, and the sequel proved lightning doesn't strike twice with this formula.

Maid in Manhattan2002

Jennifer Lopez pretending to be wealthy to impress a fancy guy—class and culture clash done with real charm and surprisingly smart social commentary for what looks like a rom-com.

But It's strictly a crowd-pleaser, which means it hits the expected beats in the expected order. Zero surprises.

Coming to America1988

An African prince crashes into New York's working class. Eddie Murphy is at his peak here, finding real heart in the clash between royal entitlement and actual human connection.

But Some of the humor relies on dated stereotypes, and Murphy's multiple roles, while fun, can feel like a distraction from what actually works.

The In-Laws1979

Peter Falk and Alan Arkin as fathers-in-law who can't stand each other until they're forced to spend time together. Two perfect comedians doing perfect timing—it's a masterclass.

But It's a spy comedy from 1979, which means the spy plot is genuinely nonsensical, and younger audiences might find it quaint.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967

Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn. A young woman brings home her Black fiancé to her liberal white family, and the script actually trusts you to feel the real tension underneath the civility.

But It's a message movie first and entertainment second, which means it can feel a bit stiff compared to modern comedies.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation1989

Chevy Chase's extended family descends on his house for Christmas and everything goes catastrophically wrong. It's broad humor, but it's also genuinely sweet about why families drive you crazy.

But The jokes are broad and the plot is thin—it depends almost entirely on whether you find Chevy Chase's desperation funny.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation poster

C.R.A.Z.Y.2005

Both center on the father-son relationship across a cultural and generational divide, but where About My Father finds warmth in the gap, C.R.A.Z.Y. finds grief. Same structure, opposite register—one shows you what reconciliation looks like, the other shows you what resistance costs.

A French-Canadian family across four decades—the father's rigid masculinity, the sons' resistance, and the slow, painful realization that love doesn't require understanding. Shot like a dream and scored with Québécois pop.

But It's a slow family drama in French, not a comedy. The humor, when it exists, is painful. You're watching a family fail to understand each other in real time.