A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Role Models
some
Ellie is a do-er who's enthusiastic about life, caring, and down to earth despite her affluent upbringing. Salvo is a hard-working Italian immigrant who owns his own business and knows the value of a dollar. Sebastian is resilient, tough, grateful, and sensitive to trying to balance the needs of his partner with those of his father.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Main characters are a White, working-class Italian American father and son, played by actors from a similar background. Italian American culture and attitudes are part of the movie's fabric, including a couple of jokes about stereotypes. A woman in her 60s is a U.S. Senator and military veteran. Cameo by a notable queer TV personality. This male-centered movie was made by a female director, and the male characters are allowed to express/feel their emotions (i.e. even "tough" guys cry when they experience something touching).
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Plot is focused on planning a marriage proposal. Woman shows her boyfriend gratitude through suggested manual stimulation, occurring just below the camera. Kissing. In a non-sexual situation, a man's bare rear end is shown extensively from a distance for comedic effect. Sexual jokes around the word "suck," tennis player grunts, and herpes.
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Language
some
Strong language includes "ass," "a--hole," "balls," "bastard," "goddamn," "piss off," "prick," "resting bitch face," and "s--t." Middle-finger gesture. "Oh my God" and "Jesus!" used as exclamations.
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Products & Purchases
a little
Positive mentions of Fendi and Gucci. Ellie's family has a huge house, a luxury country club life, and expensive gadgets.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Some characters smoke cigars, including making smoke rings for the "cool" factor. Wine and champagne with dinner and celebrations.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that About My Father is a father-son comedy rooted in the Italian American experience that finds humor in what's distinct about the group's culture, values, and way of life. Loosely based on real people in the life of the film's star, stand-up comic Sebastian Maniscalco, the story focuses on the socioeconomic differences between his character's Italian immigrant father (Robert De Niro) and his girlfriend's wealthy parents (Kim Cattrall, David Rasche). There's some mature content: A woman manually stimulates a man with her hand just below the screen line, and a man's bare butt is on screen during a non-sexual comic sequence. You can also expect strong language and suggestive jokes throughout ("a--hole," "pr--k," "s--t," etc.), as well as drinking and cigar smoking. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In ABOUT MY FATHER, Sebastian Maniscalco (playing a version of himself) sees the opportunity to propose to his girlfriend, Ellie Collins (Leslie Bibb), during her wealthy family's annual Fourth of July celebration in Virginia. Sebastian reluctantly brings his dad, Salvo (Robert De Niro), with him on the trip. He ends up spending all of his time navigating the culture clash between he Collins family, who've always had it all, and Salvo, who believes in hard work and scrimping to get by.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how About My Father's director, writer, and stars are Italian American, telling an Italian American story. How does lived experience contribute to authentic storytelling?
How do your family's values and communication style compare to those of other families from different backgrounds? How are they similar? Different?
Is cigar smoking glamorized in About My Father? What about drinking? A wealthy family drinks champagne on a yacht, and wine is recognized as a beverage served with Italian dinners. Does this reinforce any stereotypes about alcohol consumption?
What is a "fish out of water" plot? How is Salvo in that situation?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 26, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: June 16, 2023
- Cast: Sebastian Maniscalco, Robert De Niro, Leslie Bibb
- Director: Laura Terruso
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: suggestive material, language and partial nudity
- Last updated: September 17, 2023
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