Father-daughter relationships in movies are always heartwarming and one of the best can be seen in the latest Universal Pictures survival thriller, Beast. In it, widower Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) and his two daughters get hunted down by a lion when they go on a trip to a game reserve in South Africa.
The best part about this particular relationship is that it starts off shaky before Nate’s heroic actions make his older daughter have a different perspective of him. Over the years, there have been numerous father-daughter relationships in movies and Redditors have recommended the best.
Seok-Woo & Su-An - Train To Busan (2016)
In order to grant his daughter, Su-An, her wish of spending her birthday with her mother in Busan, Seok-Woo boards a train with her. However, hell breaks loose when one of the passengers turns into a zombie and begins infecting others. Tofu24 says “I was really caught off guard by the poignant emotional moments in that film.”
Undoubtedly one of the best ever South Korean zombie movies, the K-horror perfectly shows just how far a father would go to save his daughter. In just a short span of time, Seok-Woo turns from a white-collar employee that’s only good with papers, machines, and computers to an action hero as he brilliantly obliterates hordes of zombies in order to get to Su-An. Audiences are denied the cliché happy ending too, with Seok-Woo having to bid his daughter goodbye and jump off the train after he becomes infected.
Rick & Katie - The Mitchells Vs The Machines (2021)
MobileMessage thinks the movie made “the relationship dynamics interesting but also simple enough for younger people to grasp.” In it, Rick, a technophobic man, takes his daughter on a road trip in order to bond with her, but they're forced to fight for their lives when robots start attacking humans.
As is the case with Nate and Meredith in Beast, Rick and Katie’s relationship initially starts off rocky. At first, it’s frustrating for audiences to watch them struggle to come to an understanding through simple conversations. Luckily, machine attacks and old recordings switch up the relationship from a shaky one to a robust one. From there, there is no turning back.
Bryan & Kim - Taken (2008)
When his daughter Kim gets kidnapped, former CIA operative, Bryan, goes after the people who did it. DXBrigade states that when the subject of father-daughter relationships in movies came up, the Liam Neeson action flick was “my first thought.”
Bryan is the perfect example of present parents in cases where marriages have fallen apart. Despite the fact that Kim’s stepdad is a wealthy person who gives her everything she needs, Bryan never stops trying to be present for her. And like the true badass dad that he is he comes through for her when she gets taken, proving why he can never be replaced.
George & Annie - Father Of The Bride (1991)
George, the wealthy owner of a shoe company, struggles to accept the fact that his daughter is about to get married. Redditor goodvibesFTM loves how the movie has a “loving father learning how to support his daughter as she leaves the nest.”
Father Of The Bride shows the negative effects of a father loving his daughter too much. While his concerns for her are genuine, standing in her path of love paints her as the villain. But it’s not all downhill for him. As the movie progresses, he becomes more understanding. In the end, fans get to see one of the most heartwarming movie weddings.
Cooper & Murph - Interstellar (2014)
Cooper, a NASA pilot leads a team to another galaxy where time passes differently to find out if there are habitable planets. After a while, he realizes that his daughter back on Earth has grown older than him. RobMojo confesses, “I wept like a little baby from the father-daughter scenes.”
One of Christopher Nolan’s standout movies, the sci-fi flick has perhaps the most creative take on a father-daughter relationship. Having a daughter that’s older than the father sure is as perplexing as it is interesting. The best part is that Cooper and Murph don’t even get to be together for most of the movie. All they do is communicate. Nonetheless, their few moments together, especially when Murph is about to die, are truly touching.
Will & Tom - Leave No Trace (2018)
Suffering from PTSD, war veteran Will chooses to live in the forest with his daughter, Tom. Howdini describes the movie as “a must-watch for everyone who doesn't mind a little heartbreak.”
Fewer movies explore the issue of PTSD better than Leave No Trace, and it’s this particular challenge that helps build the daddy-daughter bond. Tom isn’t particularly happy with Will’s chosen lifestyle, but she understands him and makes sacrifices for him, including not going to school. Among the things that audiences will appreciate is that the two eventually come to an understanding, with Will choosing to live in the woods forever and Tom settling for an urban lifestyle.
Ben & His Daughters - Captain Fantastic (2016)
Ben chooses to live in the wilderness with his daughters as he teaches them his ways for living in the world, for good or ill. P_Tech3 likes the movie because “It's a dad with several kids, so it's not just a dad bonding with his only daughter.”
The Redditor is right about most daddy-daughter movies limiting the bond to the father and two children at most. By involving many children, Captain Fantastic thus comes off as very distinctive. Even though Ben adopts a tyrannical approach at first, he eventually chooses to understand his children and let them have their way.
Unnamed Dad & Rag - Light Of My Life (2019)
A mysterious pandemic begins wiping out the female population, so a father disguises his daughter as a boy and goes on a journey with her. When another Redditor mentions the movie, evol2020 supports it, writing, “This for sure.”
Few daddy-daughter duos coordinate better than Rag and her father. With both knowing what’s at stake, they avoid any mistakes and look out for each other. The challenges keep pouring in but together, they overcome them.
John & Jenny - Commando (1985)
Colonel John Matrix goes on a mission to save his daughter Jenny after she gets kidnaped by mercenaries. When another Redditor mentions the movie, OnlyYoda Forgives supports them, commenting “that’s a really cool pick.”
Commando has the same daddy-saves-daughter template as Taken, though the fight scenes are much better, qualifying it as one of the best-ever action movies too. As he shoots his way through hordes of baddies and keeps reminding everyone that Jenny is his life, John makes himself every daughter’s dream dad.
Matt & Maddy – Fatherhood (2021)
Matt is forced to raise his daughter Maddy alone when his wife dies from pulmonary embolism complications. Jelly_McPeanutbutter thinks the movie “does a great job of showing the turmoil 'of being a parent.”
Matt is an easy dad to root for because he faces just about every challenge a widower would have. From dealing with a stepmother to trying to make his daughter understand his dating choices, life is never easy for him. In spite of that, he remains resilient and does his best to make it work.