3.5/5
After three Meet The Parents movies, it is unusual to see Robert De Niro taking part in a cantankerous father or mother in one other movie with the identical premise. But not like the comedies the place he partnered with Ben Stiller, during which he performed an ex-CIA spook who takes an intense dislike to his future son-in-law and was overly protecting of his household. In About My Father, he performs an Italian hairdresser who loves his resort supervisor son and feels he simply wouldn’t slot in with the tremendous wealthy dad and mom of his son’s girlfriend. Unlike the earlier movies, his character is extra relatable and humane. There are gags aplenty, together with one involving a pet peacock being served as dinner but it surely all appears actual over all. To give it a purely Bollywood context, it seems like a Govinda-Kader Khan movie, minus the excessive melodrama and dance numbers.
Sebastian Maniscalco is a celebrated arise comedian who has completed supporting roles in movies like Green Book (2018) and The Irishman (2019). About My Father is his try in the direction of taking part in a number one man. He has a likeable sufficient persona and the appearing chops as well for that, to not point out good comedian timing. The movie is predicated on his experiences together with his personal Italian immigrant father, who got here to America on the age of 15 from Sicily and have become a hairdresser.
Sebastian Maniscalco (taking part in himself) is a Chicago-based resort supervisor of a boutique resort who falls in love with an esoteric painter Ellie Collins (Leslie Bibb). She occurs to be the daughter of Bill (David Rasche) and Tigger (Kim Cattrall), millionaires who personal a series of luxurious lodges. He needs to suggest to her throughout Fourth Of July holidays, the one glitch is that he needs to present her the ancestral ring which his father, hairdresser Salvo (Robert De Niro), doesn’t need to half with. Salvo, who is completely old fashioned, thinks that Sebastian and Ellie are poles aside. Both are invited to be with Ellie’s household at an upscale membership and slowly, a sequence of hilarious misadventures ensue that threaten Sebastian and Ellie’s impending union.
The conditions within the movie are humorous as hell and the dialogue is witty as properly. Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro each possess impeccable comedian timing and it’s nice to see them squaring off one another. They come throughout as a father and son couple who dote on one another, regardless of their variations. Their scenes collectively are the soul of the movie. De Niro likes to feed off his co-stars and his scenes with Kim Cattrall too are humorous as properly. No one is a villain within the movie. The wealthy in-laws attempt to impose their influences on Sebastian and Ellie however rapidly draw again after they realise their mistake. There’s no main battle as such. Everyone is good to one another and resolve their variations with ease. But this isn’t jarring in any respect because the laughter retains flowing.
Watch the movie for the interplay between Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro, as additionally for its feel-good storyline.
Trailer : About My Father
Dhaval Roy, May 25, 2023, 3:30 PM IST
3.0/5
Story: Before proposing to his fiancée, Sebastian is invited to spend the weekend along with her uber-rich and eccentric household. As he takes his Italian immigrant dad alongside, the conflict of opposing cultures threatens to jeopardise his relationship. But he learns a profound lesson about his father and the familial bond.
Review: Robert De Niro has performed an overprotective father terrorising his would-be son-in-law. While these tales focussed extra on foolish and unlucky occasions unfolding, this one is centred round Salvo (Robert De Niro), an Italian immigrant hairdresser with a ‘resting b*tch face,’ who has raised his son Sebastian (Sebastian Maniscalco) in a typical method. What ought to occur when a judgemental hard-to-please man comes face-to-face with a ridiculously rich and eccentric household? An attention-grabbing experience when the 2 events collide. More so as a result of every is quirky and inflexible of their methods.
What director Laura Terruso serves isn’t a conflict of individuals however cultures. On the one hand, we’ve a penny-pinching taskmaster, and on the opposite, dad and mom who mollycoddle their kids. Sebastian loves Ellie (Leslie Bibb) as deeply as Salvo loves his roots, and one of many two would possibly want to present in. Who will win on this household vs fiancee recreation?
About My Father is about Sebastian Maniscalco and is loosely based mostly on his relationship together with his father. While one can think about what that should be like in actual life, on-screen, it’s a hilarious experience replete with intelligent humour and sarcasm. It does have its dose of slapstick comedy, as Ellie’s entitled brother Lucky (Anders Holm) decides to bully Sebasitian, and Salvo tries to slot in, inflicting some hilarious goof-ups.
Characterisation is its robust level for the reason that film is primarily about two households. From the middle-class Sicilian Salvo to the uppity Collins—Tigger (Kim Cattrall), her husband Bill (David Rasche), their overly non secular youthful son, Doug Collins (Brett Dier) and Lucky. The polar reverse worldviews and folks make for an attention-grabbing narrative. Robert De Niro is excellent, and his scenes with Sebastian, whether or not bonding regardless of being at odds or mocking the Collins’ foibles are well-done. While their chemistry shines, they ship snarky traces with a lot aplomb and ease. Kim Cattrall is equally spectacular as a strong-headed and snobbish lady. There’s a sequence about her getting a hairdo from Salvo, which is slightly rib-tickling.
About My Father could not have a contemporary premise, and the viewer is aware of what to anticipate, however the interactions between the characters and the humorous dialogue give it a brand new take. The film is value visiting the theatres for performances and one-liners.