Relationships are a powerful and complex thing, and the relationship between a father and his son is one of the most interesting ones to explore.
Upcoming critically-acclaimed drama Beautiful Boy tells the poignant true story of a devoted father facing impending tragedy when his ‘perfect’ son becomes addicted to drugs. Ahead of its release on Blu-ray and DVD, we take a look at some of our favourite films that really pack an emotional punch when it comes to showcasing the agonising ups and downs, but ultimately love, between fathers and sons.
The Champ (1979), Franco Zeffirelli
Billy Flynn (Jon Voight) is a washed-up boxer, alcoholic, gambler and pretty poor parent to T.J. (Ricky Schroder) who, despite everything, still hero-worships his Dad. Although Billy has had custody of T.J. since his wife, Annie (Faye Dunaway), left the family years ago, her return prompts a new struggle for the former fighter. Determined to hold on to T.J., Billy gets back into the ring to try and recapture his past success. At the movie’s climax Billy dies in front of his young son. “Champ, wake up!” sobs an inconsolable T.J. bringing everyone in the dressing room to tears. The 9-year old Schroder’s film debut won him a Golden Globe Award for “Best New Male Star of the Year in a Motion Picture”.
Big Fish (2003), Tim Burton
William (Billy Crudup) has a strained relationship with his father Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) because he is always telling exaggerated stories about his life. When William learns of his father’s declining health, he and his wife Josephine travel to Alabama to spend time with him but even on his deathbed, Edward is still recounting his life through fantastical anecdotes. Edward’s dying wish is for his son to fabricate his own story about how his life ends and by eventually agreeing to do so, he learns that deciphering the truth is less important than the stories themselves and the way his father tells them. By the end of the film William has learned to love his father in way he’s never been able to before.
Finding Nemo (2003), Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Marlin (Albert Brooks) is an anxiety-ridden clown fish whose son, Nemo (Alexander Gould) has a foreshortened fin. As a result, Dad is overly cautious with his son and likes to keep him close. Nemo, however, yearns for a bit of adventure but when he swims too far from the reef he calls home, he’s captured by a diver, ending up imprisoned in a fish tank on dry land. A horrified Marlin must overcome his fears and embark on a gutsy mission, encountering a host of ocean dangers, to find him. When Nemo hears of his Dad’s super-fish quest he knows, at last, that his Dad is truly his hero.
The Pursuit of Happiness (2006), Gabriele Muccino
Telling the true story of Chris Gardner, who despite struggling to make ends meet was determined to pursue his dreams and make a better life for his son. Will Smith and his own son Jaden Smith bring the characters to life in this emotional and ultimately inspiring film which sees the pair try their best to survive around 1980’s San Francisco after they are evicted from their apartment. A truly heart-breaking scene sees Chris lock himself and his son in a public toilet cubicle for shelter one night as he reaches rock bottom.
Beginners (2010), Mike Mills
A very modern and honest father-son relationship is depicted in Beginners starring Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor. After his wife’s death, Hal (Plummer) comes out as gay to his son Oliver (McGregor). Through this new-found honesty the pair grow closer and Hal explores his way into the gay community and begins to live his happiest life with a much younger man. Oliver is depressed and is struggling with his career but, inspired by his father’s honesty, decides to take a chance in his own love life. When Hal passes away, his grief is eased with the knowledge that his dad was true to himself and gave him the courage to find happiness in his own life.
Field of Dreams (1989), Phil Alden Robinson
In Field Of Dreams, the mending of a broken father-son relationship is explored beyond the grave. The late John Kinsella (Dwier Brown) was a devoted baseball fan and deadbeat dad. Despite his shortcomings as a father, his son Ray (Kevin Costner) regrets not reconciling with him before he died. Ray is now a farmer and while walking through his cornfield one evening, he hears a voice whispering, “If you build it, he will come.” Ray also sees a vision of a baseball diamond and decides that this ‘voice’ is urging him to build a baseball pitch in his field. When the field is finished, ghostly baseball players appear to play again, including Ray’s father who he hasn’t seen since he was 17. As the film ends, Ray is able to resolve his issues with his father by playing a simple game of catch with his ghost.
Billy Elliot (2000), Stephen Daldry
Set in 1984, during the miner’s strike, Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) lives with his widowed father Jackie (Gary Lewis), and older brother Tony (Jamie Draven), both coal miners out on strike. Jackie sends his son to the gym to learn boxing, a man’s sport, but Billy hates it and happens upon a ballet class instead. When Jackie learns that his son is secretly taking ballet lessons he’s outraged and terrified that everyone will think his son is gay. He forbids him from going again but Billy has discovered a passion for dancing and continues in secret.
When Jackie sees him dance he realises his son is truly gifted and this gruff, traditional working class man decides to move heaven and earth to give his son the chance to attend the Royal Ballet School. Fast forward to 1998 and Jackie is moved to tears as he watches Billy, now 25, take to the stage in Swan Lake.
Bicycle Thieves (1948), Vittorio De Sica
Depicting the harsh realities and struggles of life in post-war Rome, Bicycle Thieves stars Lamberto Maggiorani as Antonio who desperately needs a bike in order to get work to support his family. He and his wife pawn their bedsheets to get the money to get his bicycle out of hock, but it’s soon stolen, and he and his adoring son Bruno (Enzo Staiola) set off through the city in search of the thieves. The bond between father and son is so close but Bruno witnesses his father being subjected to every humiliation possible and is stunned when he resorts to stealing himself and is arrested. Degraded, ashamed and fighting back tears it is Bruno who reassures his dad that he’s still proud to be his son by simply taking his hand in the closing scenes of the film.
The Way (2010), Emilio Estevez
In The Way, Emilio Estevez directs and stars alongside his real-life father Martin Sheen. Daniel (Estevez) has a promising and lucrative career ahead of him but decides to throw it away and travel the world in search of greater meaning. While attempting the Camino de Santiago, he dies during a storm in the Pyrenees leaving his estranged father Tom (Sheen) to travel to Spain to identify and return home with his body. However, to overcome his grief, Tom suddenly decides to embark on the pilgrimage himself, scattering Daniel’s ashes along the way. He meets other pilgrims along the way, all looking for answers to life’s problems, and acquires a greater understanding, forgiveness and love for the life his son chose.
Beautiful Boy (2018), Felix van Groeningen
Beautiful Boy is based on a collection of best-selling memoirs written by a father and son, outlining their experiences with addiction and how they dealt with it within their family. Timothée Chalamet plays Nic Sheff, a talented student who has succumbed to the tyranny of hard drugs. His devoted dad (Steve Carell) tries everything possible to save him and the rest of the family while in constant fear that all his efforts will be in vain. The film is a stark and raw look at the frustrating nature of addiction and how it not only affects the individual, but those close to them.
BEAUTIFUL BOY IS AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 13TH MAY 2019 & ON BLU-RAY™ & DVD 20TH MAY 2019
