A workaholic who gets left at the alter winds up on her
would-be honeymoon cruise with her estranged father. COMEDY/DRAMA
|
Like Father (2018)Written and Directed by Lauren Miller Rogen
Starring Kristen Bell, Kelsey Grammer, Brett Gelman, Seth Rogen, Paul W. Downs, Zach Appelman |
I'm a sucker for movies that deal with reconnecting with one's estranged parents. Anyone who knows me well knows why. Like Father is a sappy, predictable romcom that extracts the "romance" part and replaces it with parental reconnection. Kristen Bell and Kelsey Grammer have good chemistry, and there are moments in the film that are just plain heartbreaking. But there's something missing. Maybe it's just me, but I felt the reconnection happened awfully fast.
Rachel (Bell) is a workaholic who is always on her phone trying to land a big client for her advertising firm. Her dedication to her job causes her to be late walking down the aisle at her wedding, which prompts her fiancé Owen to dump her at the alter. You kinda get it, and it takes most of the movie for Rachel to realize that she's kind of an asshole. That same day, her father whom she hasn't spoken to in over twenty years, shows up to the wedding uninvited. Harry (Grammer) takes Rachel out for a drink, they get shitfaced, and they wake up on a cruise ship that was supposed to be Rachel and Owen's honeymoon. On the trip, Harry and Rachel reconnect, confessions are made, promises are also made, and Rachel realizes that life is worth living outside of her phone. It's an obvious epiphany, but it happens nonetheless. Like Father has more than a few delightful moments, such as the big karaoke finale where Harry and Rachel sing "Come Sail Away" together. Harry's reminiscing of his recently deceased friend Gabe is another highlight. Overall, I liked it, but I don't see myself ever coming back to it. |