Author: Robert Skuch Published
if you think Mrs Doubtfire is a problematic movie about a father who pretends to be someone else in order to get closer to his estranged children, then you need to get ready and binge-watch the 2022 film i love my dad. A catfish comedy that’s equal parts wholesome and gross, this James Morosini production is purportedly based on real-life events from the writer/director, and for his sake I hope that’s an exaggerated account as it relates to its creep factor.
This wild journey into fatherhood, presented in a misleadingly manipulative form, will make you cringe so intensely that you’ll bite your hand once you run out of nails to chew on, but it’ll also give you unexpected warmth the moment you realize just how confusing its premise really is.
So uneasy that laughter becomes your only defense mechanism, i love my dad Will make you reconsider online dating because you really never know who is on the other end of these early messages. You probably don’t want to know, especially after your long-distance relationship gets a little too cozy.
Digital Doubt
Patton Oswalt plays Chuck i love my dadAn absentee father wants back in the life of his son Franklin (James Morosini) after proving himself time and time again to be an incompetent father. Chuck, who keeps tabs on Franklin through his ex-wife Diane (Amy Landecker), convinces himself that it would be a good idea to create a fake social media profile impersonating Becca (Claudia Sulewski), a local waitress living in a small Maine town. Chuck ignored the warning of his colleague Jimmy (Lil Rel Howery) and reached out to Franklin, and the two hit it off.
That’s good news for Franklin, who’s seeing a therapist (Ricky Park) for confidence issues that apparently stem from his strained relationship with his father. Franklin was completely unaware that he had been deceived by Chuck, and he fell in love with Becca at first sight. Their online relationship quickly escalates through intimate text exchanges, which Chuck manages with the help of his co-worker and love interest Erica (Rachel Dratch).
Chuck’s plans begin to fall apart when Franklin decides to travel to Maine to meet Becca in person. Now he’s forced to share a motel room with his son on the road while maintaining a lie in the hope that this strange mystery will somehow repair their relationship.
What matters is not the “what” but the “how”
The storyline is a mess i love my dadthere’s a strange wholesome feeling that makes everything feel more queasy. Whenever Franklin opens up to Becca, he imagines her sitting next to him. They talk about past traumas, confide in each other, and sometimes things get intense and heavy. This brings home the depth of Franklin’s obsession with a non-existent man (actually his father).
Some of the funniest beats in the film come from Chuck grappling with these conversations. He knew he was texting in another room and the real Becca was unaware of Franklin’s existence. Watching him squirm as he types a reply imagining his son kissing him is comedy gold, even if you immediately regret laughing.
like Mrs DoubtfireChuck and Franklin finally begin to bond when good intentions turn into horrific manipulation. Chuck constantly encourages Franklin to pursue Becca as the relationship pulls Franklin out of his shell and makes him more confident. Regardless of whether his father is a bad person or not, he’s trying to fix things, which forces him to continue the con, while the real Becca is unknowingly drawn into the situation, living too close for comfort.
Such a sick way of contacting
i love my dad It may seem like a cruel exercise in embarrassing comedy, but it’s a surprisingly sweet showcase of how far someone will go to stay close to their family. On one hand, you sympathize with Chuck’s attempts and failures. But once you realize the emotional harm he’s actively causing, it’s almost impossible to support him. Franklin was such a gentle kid who wanted to find his place in the world, and he didn’t deserve to be manipulated like this. The happiness he feels when he connects with Becca is heartbreaking because you know it’s built on lies.
Chuck is so convincing that even as a well-informed viewer, it’s easy to get temporarily swept up in the romance, only to quickly snap back to reality and remember that Franklin is cheating on his father online.
Balancing health with severe chaos, i love my dad It’s the kind of movie that makes you laugh and gasp at the same time. If you want to see Chuck push this lie to its limits, you can watch it now on Hulu.
