By: Maalik Hawkins
Trinity Times Movie Reviewer

Writer-director James Morosini explores the complicated relationship between an estranged father and son and the modern technology employed to bridge the divide in the Hulu-streaming “I Love My Dad.”

Billed as a comedy-drama, the raucously menacing film is inspired by actual events and follows Chuck, played by Patton Oswalt, as he desperately tries to reconnect with his son Franklin, portrayed by the film’s writer-director Morosini, and uses an assumed identity through virtual technology to revive the relationship.

The first two minutes of the movie shows a montage of a father who fails to make time for his son’s achievements in life, making excuses not to participate in various milestone events.

Chuck tries to become more active in his adult son’s life, following a failed suicide attempt, but encounters an unreceptive Franklin who blocks him from all sources of communication.

As a last resort Chuck decides to catfish his son. He assumes a bogus identity and devises a virtual relationship with Franklin, jeopardizing his son’s emotional security and mental health.

Hilarity ensues as the catfishing spirals through what the audience knows will have to reach some kind of resolution. The question is will it die off or explode?

The film continuously bounces between being hilarious, creepy and sad, and the creative personalization of the text messaging is endearing.

I recommend “I Love My Dad” for the wow factor and the intended message as it pinpoints the hazards of careless parenting.

I can envision this film as part of a lazy weekend Hulu-streaming bonanza.

Rankings:

Everyday Moviegoers – 8.5/10                    

Critics – 7.3/10

Cinephiles – 8.0/10

– – – Maalik Hawkins is a graduate student at Trinity Washington University.