Jonah Naplan   May 28, 2023

“About My Father” is a surprisingly light and funny family comedy that you appreciate even more if you can relate to the hereditary dynamics. On the one hand, comedian Sebastian Maniscalco is providing witty commentary on class divides. On the other, he is telling his own life story, recounting his relationship with his own father, here portrayed by Robert De Niro. In the vast world of never ending blockbuster cinema—especially prevalent in the summer months—it’s incredibly refreshing to still see movies like this released in theaters, a rarity in a post-Covid world.

This film, directed by Laura Terruso, from a screenplay by Maniscalco and Austen Earl, is supposedly specific to the experiences of the comedian (it does after all follow a character who also happens to be named Sebastian Maniscalco), but it’s a fable that could be about any American. Maniscalco plays an Illinois hotel owner dating the girl of his dreams, an artist named Ellie (a wonderful Leslie Bibb). His father Salvo (De Niro) is a recently widowered hairstylist who was apparently legendary in the 80’s. Salvo’s rough childhood made for an approach to life that involves hard work, grit, and an uptightness that prevents any extroverted nature to explore new things, and his refrain from spending money on non-essential items is an especially notable touch.

When Ellie’s wealthy parents invite the couple to their annual Independence Day celebration, Sebastian is overjoyed that his in-laws are finally accepting him as a part of the family. But he soon realizes that it’d be in poor taste to leave his aging father behind on his favorite holiday. “It’s the only one where you don’t have to buy a present.” So Pops ends up tagging along for the ride, taking a plane from Illinois to the Collins’ impressive country club residence in D.C.

Ellie’s parents, Bill (David Rasche) and Tigger (Kim Cattrall), and brothers Lucky (Anders Holm) and Doug (Brett Dier), at first seem to be considerably welcoming enough, though their backstory—the Collins ancestors apparently sailed to America on the Mayflower—and Conservative approach to spending money and going about living does not sit well with Salvo, a poor introduction. Salvo, a man of routine, business and discipline, is committed to making sure that he vets every last move of the Collins family before he agrees to give Sebastian his mother’s ring and his hand in marriage before his son is allowed to propose. Spoiler alert: everything turns out okay.

But “About My Father” is not so much a story about Sebastian, as it is an emotional and psychological journey for Salvo that changes his mindset and enthusiasm for trying new things. For the fifty lustrous years Salvo’s had a career, he’s remained unchanged. It’s not until this weekend in another part of the country; watching his son play tennis like a beast, making a full Italian dinner using only the sparse items in the Collins’ kitchen, and observing Doug display his mindful abilities as a “healer” that he learns to live a little. The man is 80, after all.

But not only is it a film about the moving relationship Sebastian has with his father, it’s a commentary on the heavy differences between the two ancestral backgrounds. Where Salvo came from—an immigrant from Sicily—the Maniscalcos were a middle to lower class family sometimes struggling to eat each night, chasing after the American dream. The Collins were the American dream; rich, privileged and the glossy stars of television. Maniscalco’s film about this dichotomy is equal parts insightful and meditative, providing the audience with a new perspective.

But make no mistake. “About My Father” is a comedy. In a commendable high-wire act, Maniscalco manages to balance both the mastery of rat-a-tat-tat banter and the sociology affixed with ancestral expectations with poise. This is a very funny movie that entertains the idea of mixing generous helpings of real humor with the occasional sprinkle of slapstick. Not all of it works—a yacht scene that puts Maniscalco’s genitals on display will hit it big with some audiences, but ultimately feels tired, and a later gag involving a peacock falls completely flat.

But the rest of the humor—all of the smart, sometimes edgy, and ingenious exchanges between family members is on point. Maniscalco’s eye for dialogue is showcased from beginning to end, as is his attention to detail. Notice how even when Sebastian is short with Salvo, shouting about how his father has embarrassed him in front of the in-laws, their mutual equity still allows them to conclude the day together with their traditional cologne spritz. If there was one thing Salvo splurged finances on, it was the human scent.

Consistently light on its feet, “About My Father” flies by at a breezy 89 minutes, not doing anything to reinvent any genre whatsoever, but proving that movies like this can and should get made. And they can be made well. Sebastian and Salvo’s dynamic is the best part of the movie, marking De Niro’s first full-out comedic jive since 1988’s “Midnight Run,” the film that arguably coined his signature “angry Italian” composure. Most importantly of all, De Niro does not seem like he’s phoning it in with this role, as he has with his recent pieces in films like “Amsterdam” and the embarrassing “The War with Grandpa.” Some ask why he’s been spending so much time participating in bad movies recently. I will bring it to my grave that this is not one of them.

Now playing in theaters.