About My Father Movie Review : When I first saw the trailer for About My Father, I could see some of my father’s traits in Robert De Niro – quirky, protective and disapproving of anything that wasn’t listed in his playbook. Little did I know that I would get to see a full-fledged version of him on screen with the film and it immediately made me want to hug my father. Released by Lionsgate, One About My Father revolves around a father, Salvo (Robert De Niro) and his son, Sebastian, played by Sebastian Maniscalco.
The film is said to be based on Sebastian Maniscalco’s relationship with his father, highlighting an Italian father-son duo. While Salvo, an immigrant hairstylist living in Chicago and set on his ways, his son Sebastian is trying to make it big in the hotel space. Sebastian is dating a wealthy American, played by Leslie Bibb, and intends to propose to her over the 4th of July weekend. Salvo, however, insisted that he would leave the family’s traditional ring only when he felt the family was fit for his son.
What follows is a series of unfortunate, hilarious events that not only poke fun at fancy Americans, but also poke fun at Salvo’s eccentric behavior, and test his relationship with Sebastian. The crisp one and a half film keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Story writer Sebastian Maniscalco and director Laura Terrusso dose just the right amount of laughs and emotion, so you can connect with the relationship.
It should come as no surprise that Robert De Niro is the heart and soul of the film. He’s a master of the character like he’s been a salvo for decades. He overpowers everyone in the film, making even Sebastian vulnerable in some scenes. Sebastian makes sure that his comic presence doesn’t get lost in the storytelling, but doesn’t overdo it either.
Kim Cattrall blends perfectly with De Niro in the intense scenes, their on-screen love-hate chemistry shining through, making me want to see a little more of their banter. The Sex In The City star also has a strong screen presence, taking your attention away from David Rasche and Anders Holm with ease. Brett Dyer may be playing a role in the background, but his scenes with De Niro make you laugh.
The climax felt a bit weak, as if Sebastian wasn’t sure how to end a well-set-up film, so he decided to resort to clichés and wrap things up. You can see that the graph is taking a dip, but that doesn’t spoil the good experience of the film so far.
Bottom Line: About my father who makes a relatable family watch. The makers hit the mark on the comedy front, sprinkling enough emotions to tie things up.
