Movie Profile: LIKE FATHER (2018)
| Attribute | Details |
| Title | Like Father |
| Release Date | August 3, 2018 (Netflix) |
| Director | Lauren Miller Rogen |
| Writer | Lauren Miller Rogen |
| Genre | Comedy, Drama |
| Runtime | 98 minutes |
| Distributor | Netflix |
| Lead Cast |
• Kristen Bell (Rachel Hamilton) • Kelsey Grammer (Harry Hamilton) • Seth Rogen (Jeff) • Paul W. Downs (Jim) • Zach Appelman (Steve) • Leonard Ouzts (Dan) |
Trailer
Plot Overview
Rachel Hamilton (Kristen Bell) is a workaholic advertising executive whose life revolves around her career—so much so that she answers a work phone call while standing at the altar, causing her fiancé to leave her.
At the disastrous wedding, Rachel is unexpectedly reunited with her estranged father, Harry (Kelsey Grammer), who abandoned her and her mother when Rachel was just five years old. After an evening of heavy drinking together to drown their respective sorrows, the two wake up the next morning to discover they made a drunken decision to board the Caribbean honeymoon cruise Rachel had booked for herself and her ex-fiancé.
Forced to spend a week together in tight quarters surrounded by happy couples and festive group activities, Rachel and Harry navigate years of resentment, unspoken trauma, and striking personality similarities. Along the way, with the help of quirky fellow passengers and a charming new acquaintance named Jeff (Seth Rogen), father and daughter are forced to confront their pasts and decide whether they can build a real future together.
Key Themes & Features
-
Directorial Debut: The film marks the feature directorial debut of writer-actress Lauren Miller Rogen, who delivers a balance of lighthearted cruise comedy and grounded emotional family drama.
-
Workaholism vs. Personal Connection: The narrative explores how workaholism can be used as a defense mechanism to avoid processing grief and abandonment issues.
-
Lead Chemistry: The core strength of the film lies in the dynamic performance between Kristen Bell and Kelsey Grammer, portraying two stubborn, fiercely independent individuals who realize how much of themselves they see in each other.