Father’s Day has finally come, and what better way to spend it than having some quality time with dear old dad?

Given the difficult times, it might be wise to take Father’s Day a little easier this year. So, instead of going on a celebratory vacation or expensive dinner, just stay home, kick back on the sofa and pick some fatherhood-themed movies.

There are many famous movies that touch on fatherhood, ranging from gritty action films to light-hearted animation.

Whichever the choice, rest assured that dad will appreciate the time spent with him on this special day.

1. The Pursuit of Happyness

It’s one thing to rescue your child from dastardly criminals, and quite another to shield them from the harsh realities of everyday life.

This biographical film follows Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, who struggles to provide for his son on a meagre income.

After they become homeless, Gardner struggles to protect his young son from the effects of poverty.

This can be summarised as a flick about adult fear, as losing a job in real life can change one’s fortunes on a dime. After all, every good parent wants their children to live better and happier lives than they did.

2. Finding Nemo

A film for the young and the young at heart, this Oscar-winning Pixar animated classic follows a father’s journey to save his son.

Taking place in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, “Finding Nemo” centres on the relationship of the overprotective clownfish, Marlin, with his sole surviving son, Nemo.

After Nemo is kidnapped and taken to the surface world, Marlin has to set aside his fears and embark on a journey to rescue his son.

It may be easy to dismiss animated films as targeted to children, but they can be as meaningful as their live action counterparts. And despite this being a 2003 release, the animation remains stunning and might just encourage some snorkelling on the next vacation.

3. Taken

Liam Neeson is a talented actor, playing a morally conflicted Nazi in “Schindler’s List” just as well as a heroic Jedi in “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”.

In “Taken”, he takes on a more action-packed role as Bryan Mills, a retired Special Forces officer whose attempts to connect with his estranged daughter are going nowhere.

But when she is kidnapped by sex traffickers while on vacation in Paris, Mills takes up the old tools of his trade and gets to work terrorising those responsible.

Even those who are not fans of thrillers should at least watch it for the iconic scene when Mills quietly but coldly “explains” to the kidnappers the consequences of their actions. Hell hath no fury like a father on a rampage to protect his daughter, as the villains soon discover.

4. Mrs Doubtfire

Ah, Robin Williams, how dearly missed you are. The laughter you brought would most certainly be welcome during these hard times.

The late actor plays Daniel Hillard, a man whose relationship with his wife is on the rocks and who faces losing his children. In a desperate attempt to spend time with them, he cross-dresses as an elderly British nanny and gets himself hired to look after them.

Ironically, in his Mrs Doubtfire persona, Hillard is more the parent than he ever was as Hillard himself, a fact that he has to come to terms with.

A film with hearty laughs and comical gags, it is a light-hearted comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but also has a touching theme of fatherhood.

5. Cargo

Some might see the Covid-19 pandemic as a harbinger of the Apocalypse, or life imitating the art of a few scary movies, so this 2017 Australian zombie film might be a little close to home.

“Cargo” is set in a world devastated by a zombie infection and Andy Rose, played by Martin Freeman, is a father struggling to keep his family alive against the odds.

When his wife is infected and he is bitten, it becomes a race against time to ensure his baby daughter’s safety before he becomes a zombie himself.

Even though this film has zombies in it, it is not an action movie. There is something poignant about the father’s willingness to travel across a devastated wasteland, knowing his inevitable fate, simply to protect his daughter.