As a child, having a healthy bond with your parents is crucial; it promotes mental, emotional, and linguistic development and is ultimately one of the most powerful connections two people can share. Many remark that a daughter’s first love is her father. While this isn’t always the case, it actually happens a lot. It’s always heartwarming to witness these strong relationships translated into film, especially when a movie highlights how safe and secure a child feels with her caregiver.
Throughout the years, many touching features have successfully depicted beautiful father-daughter relationships, showing how inspiring, unconditional, and encouraging a father’s love can be. To celebrate this unique bond, we look back at some of the best movies about fathers and daughters, ranking them by how accurately they depict this strong connection as well as their entertainment value.
35
‘Definitely, Maybe’ (2008)
Starring Ryan Reynolds in the lead role and set in New York City, Definitely, Maybe is an Adam Brooks romantic comedy that follows 30-something political consultant Will Hayes as he attempts to explain to his 11-year-old daughter, played by Little Miss Sunshine‘s talented child actor Abigail Breslin, his divorce, past relationships, and how he ended up marrying her mother.
While it doubles as a romantic comedy, Definitely, Maybe is an incredible father-daughter movie, featuring a believable bond between a dad and his kid at its center. What’s so great about this all-around nice and enjoyable film is, too, its well-cast characters and the funny, emotional moments. Furthermore, Definitely, Maybe does not shy away from tackling serious themes such as divorce and politics.
34
‘Hearts Beat Loud’ (2018)
In Hearts Beat Loud, a single dad and record store owner (Nick Offerman) and daughter (Kiersey Clemons) form an unlikely songwriting dynamic duo in the summer right before she leaves for college.
Out of all the father-daughter movies listed here, this is probably one of the lesser-known. Brett Haley’s often overlooked film (which deserves all the audience’s love) is still very much worth watching, as it delivers two great performances — especially from The Last of Us‘ Offerman — and provides audiences with a meaningful narrative that is both fulfilling and touching with an incredible duo at its center.
33
‘King Richard’ (2021)
Will Smith steps into the shoes of Richard Williams, the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams (played by Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney), in this critically acclaimed film that landed Smith his Best Actor Academy Award in 2021, after getting his first Oscar nomination in 15 years. The biopic follows Williams as he brings willpower and determination to another level, carving his daughters’ names into history.
There is no doubt that the highly praised film features heartwarming father-daughter bonds. As it navigates through the Williams’ lives, King Richard sheds an important light on the close relationship the family shares, especially the sisters’ relationship with their father. It highlights how big a role Williams played in the girls’ lives, both on and off the court.
32
‘On the Rocks’ (2020)
Sofia Coppola‘s father-daughter movie and comedy-drama On the Rocks stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones as the ultimate father-daughter duo as they attempt to find out whether her husband (Marlon Wayans) has been unfaithful on an adventure through New York.
While beautifully executed like many other films in Coppola’s filmography, On the Rocks is likely a different film from what audiences usually expect from the filmmaker. What is so interesting about On the Rocks is how it perfectly captures the dynamic between both characters. While it is not necessarily among Coppola’s best movies, it shines a beautiful light on the relationship between a more mature daughter and her, of course, much older father.
31
‘Moana’ (2016)
While Moana is more about self-discovery — celebrating courage, self-discovery, and the deep ties one has to family and culture — rather than specifically focusing on the father-daughter relationship, it still beautifully portrays the complexities of such a bond. The movie follows the spirited daughter of the chief of the Polynesian island Motunui. When a blight threatens her island’s resources, Moana is chosen by the ocean to restore the stolen heart of the goddess.
With stunning animation that brings ocean and island life vividly to life, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s catchy and inspirational songs, and amazing voice acting performances from Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Carvalho, Moana has become an animated fan-favorite. Sure, it may not be a father-daughter film in the obvious sense, but her relationship with her father is an important undercurrent seen through Tui’s protective nature and his fear of the unknown, and Moana’s will to follow her true path.
30
‘Gifted’ (2017)
With a super smart kid at the film’s center, 2017’s Gifted is set in Florida and focuses on Frank Adler (Chris Evans), a single man who is responsible for raising his highly intelligent niece Mary (Mckenna Grace, who has been cast in tons of exciting projects). When the mathematical abilities of prodigy 7-year-old Mary catch the attention of Frank’s mother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), a wild turn of events takes place.
Deeply moving and entertaining, this Marc Webb film touches on very sensitive topics, including suicide and parental abandonment, even if it mostly revolves around a second-grader. Nevertheless, Gifted showcases the importance of standing up for others, all while translating a beautifully written and complex daughter-father relationship to the screen.
29
‘Somewhere’ (2010)
Although it isn’t as popular as other Sofia Coppola pictures, Somewhere is an interesting entry by the treasured filmmaker. The movie stars a young Elle Fanning as Cleo and explores her relationship with her father (Stephen Dorff), a passionless Hollywood star who reevaluates his life when she steps back into the picture.
Coppola enjoys examining girlhood and father-daughter bonds in her movies and has successfully done so in the past. The latter is evident not only through Somewhere but also On the Rocks; while both are great and even a tad underrated movies in this niche category, they are likely to appeal to different age groups, as the nostalgic Somewhere plays like a coming-of-age and features a teenage protagonist while On the Rocks, a more mature story, is led by a young woman.
28
‘The Phoenician Scheme’ (2025)
If you’re curious about Wes Anderson in a spy thriller genre, The Phoenician Scheme might be your go-to. This quirky and colorful film sheds light on a most unique father-daughter duo: Benicio del Toro playing Zsa-zsa Korda, a globe-trotting tycoon with an empire to protect, and Mia Threapleton as his convent-raised daughter Liesel, suddenly thrust from praying in silence to negotiating in boardrooms.
For those who enjoy films where family ties mix with adventure, danger, and a tad of the absurd, The Phoenician Scheme is a worthy pick. While the narrative is entertaining on its own, it’s all about the chemistry between these two — the eccentric father with a larger-than-life energy, and his reluctant, shy daughter trying to find her footing in the world — and their awkward, yet oddly heartwarming moments.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, this NASA-approved science fiction psychological thriller stars Jodie Foster as Doctor Ellie Arroway, focusing on her finding of conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence after years of searching.
The father-daughter relationship may not be the central aspect of this sci-fi epic. However, it is obvious that Ellie’s father has always been an important figure in her life. The relationship the two shared had a profound impact on her life. David Morse’s character is portrayed in flashbacks and shown to be a supportive parent who happily feeds her interest in science, with his encouragement having a huge impact on her life choices. At Contact’s heart, this beautifully explored father-daughter relationship helps elevate the narrative to higher levels.
26
‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)
While the main focus of Beauty and the Beast is not Bella’s relationship with her father but rather how she comes to meet a prince cursed to spend his days as a monster, the relationship between the two is still an important part of its narrative — if it weren’t so strong, Belle and the Beast would never even meet.
Belle’s relationship with her father is undoubtedly important because it is one of deep affection and protective love. While the movie begins with Maurice as a protective guardian, their dynamic is eventually shifted by the film’s end, as Belle matures and so does they bond, turning into one of mutual respect and understanding. Despite its narrative being more centered on the two protagonists, Beauty and the Beast certainly does a great job of portraying the meaningful relationship between the two.
