As an adult, picking up a copy of the "Parent Manual" is a rite of passage that so many individuals take for granted. The manual offers so many lessons like how to use the "eyes in the back of one's head" to catch your child doing something they shouldn't be doing or sleepovers 101. Equally as important is the entire chapter on "how to effectively embarrass your kids, especially in front of their friends or their crush". Some parents take this concept to heart while others have inadvertently managed to do it accidentally. Regardless of how they go about it, parents are inherently designed to embarrass their children and most of us have stories highlighting our parents' efforts to accomplish that goal.
Sebastian Maniscalco grew up with his Italian immigrant parents in the suburbs of Chicago. As a boy, he idolized his dad, Salvatore (Robert De Niro; Stardust), Salvo for short, a hairdresser who owned a salon and who instilled in Sebastian a sense of being proud of his heritage and taught him that hard work can pay off.
All is well until Sebastian falls in love with a sweet, beautiful, and happy woman named Ellie (Leslie Bibb; Iron Man) who grew up in a wealthy family. When he asks Salvo for the family ring so he can propose to Ellie, Salvo insists on meeting Ellie's parents, Tigger (Kim Cattrall; Sex and the City) and Bill (David Rasche; Succession), so he joins Ellie and Sebastian as they head to her family's vacation home for the Fourth of July weekend. Of course, as one could predict, they mix like oil and water leading to some very tense moments during the weekend.
De Niro is incredibly talented which he proves time and time again and his portrayal of Salvo is exactly what you would expect Salvo to be like from the way Sebastian describes him. The veteran actor and stand-up comedian work well together and which makes it easy to believe they are father and son. Bibb, Cantrall, Rasche, and the rest of the supporting cast, complement De Niro and Maniscalco and add to the total picture of two different types of families coming together.
Maniscalco and his writing partner, Austen Earl (Happy Together) capture the essence of the familiar story of when "worlds collide". Of course, the pair infuses the script with moments of hilarity that are laugh-out-loud funny. They also throw in many of those embarrassing moments we have all experienced with our parents and a few more that could only happen in movies.
For director Laura Terruso (Hello My Name is Doris) this is probably the highest profile film she has shot so far and she manages to offer some interesting visuals especially at the county club and as Sebastian is hyperventilating while flying in the helicopter. Her pacing is good and the jokes hit exactly where they should. Of course, these things are all enhanced by the talent in front of the camera.
Maniscalco has been talking about his father in his stand-up routines for twenty-plus years so writing a film focused on the elder Maniscalco seems like a natural progression as a visual representation of the stories fans have been laughing at for almost a quarter of a century. The movie is heartfelt and hilarious if unoriginal. While most of us can identify with Sebastian and Ellie as their parents embarrass them, About My Father is a film with familiar themes that we have seen before. Luckily, it doesn't make it any less humorous.
If you go to see the movie for a few laughs and a fun time you won't be disappointed. Just remember to keep your expectations in check.
Grade: C
