Film Review: “Dads”

Being a father means many different things to different people. Bryce Dallas Howard’s new documentary “Dads” provides several perspectives on the role of the modern dad. The film, a celebration of fathers, ventures into six different homes from across the globe to show us fatherhood in action. Each of the profiles is surrounded by snippets of celebrity fathers sharing their often humorous anecdotes about their dad experiences. These are also peppered with viral dad clips from across the web to add to the mix.

The individual “real people” stories take up most of the running time. They are often sweet glimpses into a diverse sampling of family situations. Each of the subjects uses their own words to tell how they became dads, their challenges, and some of the lessons learned while handling the very important role of fatherhood. The most endearing of these tells the story of a same-sex couple who adopt four kids out of the foster care system. Each of the four children with their own challenges including abuse and fetal alcohol syndrome. Taking on parenthood is tough enough, giving of yourself to help kids who are often neglected because of no fault of their own is beautiful. The story stands out from the rest because it felt the most sincere.

In general, the other fathers’ stories, while nice, are simply not all that compelling. They are told in a breezy fashion that skim the surface and lack the depth needed to make a lasting impression. They would fit perfectly on a morning news magazine – maudlin and entertaining while you watch, but somewhat mundane. Along the way little is really learned about fatherhood, if anything, that any experienced parent would not already know. Unlike some documentaries, there is no deep dig or analysis of the subject. No graphs, scientific data, or history of the role of fathers though out history are found here. None. Instead, we get an observation of men being fathers and sharing some of their thoughts.

The doc’s most entertaining moments come not from the featured fathers but from the celebrities and comedians who tell snappy anecdotes about their job as fathers. Most of the celebrity observations are played for laughs, often feeling like they were borrowed from their stand-up routines. Actors and comedians make up most of the list which includes Judd Apatow, Jimmy Fallon, Ken Jeong, Conan O’Brien, Hasan Minhaj, Neil Patrick Harris, Will Smith, Patton Oswalt, Jimmy Kimmel, and Kenan Thompson. Their pieces provide most of the real laughs and surprisingly even a few touching revelations.

Bryce Dallas Howard wears several hats here. Of course, she serves as the film’s director, but she also conducts the celebrity interviews from off-camera. This includes some heartfelt moments with her father, director/actor Ron Howard. This lead to her least expected contribution to the film, as one of its subjects. Four generations of the Howard family’s story is told through home videos and Ron Howard’s recollections – this begins with video of Bryce’s birth. Using the Howard family story helps to bridge the gap between the celebrity and the “real people” stories, but it also feels a little self-serving especially if you are not a particularly a Howard family.

As a father myself much of the film felt a little too self-congratulatory for me. You are supposed to take care of your kids. Millions of women and other fathers have been doing so since the beginning of time. With the exception of the same-sex couple, who go above and beyond, most of what is touched upon here is hardly newsworthy.

Released in time for Father’s Day (streaming on AppleTV+) this is not essential viewing for the holiday, but worth giving a shot. It has its charms, is a lighthearted and welcome break from all the negativity dominating the airwaves as of late. And, if the dad in your home is not digging it you can always switch over to “Field of Dreams “or “The Empire Strikes Back” for the hundredth time (both are tremendous films about daddy issues).

3 stars