Attempting to pry his way back into his adult son’s life, Chuck (Patton Oswalt) creates a fake profile online of a beautiful woman, who his estranged son Franklin (James Morosini) immediately falls for. But Chuck’s catfishing games take an even weirder turn when Franklin needs a ride to meet this digital love… and he accepts the task.
Written and directed by Morosini, I Love My Dad is a quirky and fairly heartfelt road trip comedy, a story that was inspired by his own life experience — as bizarre as it sounds. Though only his second feature-length film, he creates something special with this film. It’s an unexpected little gem that’s part buddy adventure, part serious drama.
While it tackles some heavier themes like mental health and familial estrangement, it beautifully balances everything with its smart script and moments of dark levity. Oswalt and Morosini banter well together, while Claudia Sulewski adds in an extra dose of cringe humor as the manifestation of Franklin’s love.
It’s a film so wonderfully awkward in the situations it presents, but one that tugs a bit at your heart in the end. And it’s certainly one I recommend staying on the lookout for.
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