Tamal Kundu
Based on the 1949 namesake novel by Edward Streeter, ‘Father of the Bride’ is a sprawling film franchise. The first cinematic adaptation came out in 1950, starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor. It was followed by the sequel ‘Father’s Little Dividend,’ with most of the actors from the first film reprising their roles. In 1991, it was remade with Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Kimberly Williams. It has its own sequels, ‘Father of the Bride Part II,’ which came out in 1995 and the 2020 short film ‘Father of the Bride Part 3(ish).’ In 2022, a second remake premiered. The new movie revolves around a Cuban-American family and stars Andy García and Gloria Estefan. If you have watched various ‘Father of the Bride’ films and are curious about similar films, we have the perfect list of recommendations to fit your taste. You can watch most of these movies similar to ‘Father of the Bride’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. License to Wed (2007)
In ‘License to Wed,’ young lovers Ben Murphy (John Krasinski) and Sadie Jones (Mandy Moore) are set to get married. Sadie has always dreamt of getting married at St. Augustine’s, her family church. The only problem is that Ben and Sadie must convince the eccentric Reverend Frank Littleton (Robin Williams), who insists that the couple must take his prenuptial course. Although the film was poorly received, the late great Williams is as memorable and imposing in it as always. In both ‘Father of the Bride’ and ‘License to Wed,’ much of the comedy stems from the eccentricities of certain characters and the pandemonium surrounding the wedding.
6. The Proposal (2009)
On the verge of getting deported back to Canada, Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), the executive editor-in-chief of a New York book publishing company, announces that she is engaged to her secretary, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). Margaret and Andrew subsequently come up with a mutually-beneficial agreement, and the former travels to Alaska with the latter to meet his family. Powered by its stellar cast, ‘The Proposal’ is an utterly joyful film to watch. From the offset, the film flips most tropes of romantic comedies on their heads. In both ‘Father of the Bride’ and ‘The Proposal,’ meeting the would-be in-laws becomes a hectic experience.
5. Meet the Parents (2000)
Like several other entries in the list, the narrative of ‘Meet the Parents’ closely resembles that of ‘Father of the Bride.’ Greg (Ben Stiller) accompanies his girlfriend Pam to Long Island for her sister’s wedding and meets Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), Pam’s father and a former CIA agent. Although Jack is initially cordial toward Greg, he soon begins questioning Greg’s choices in life. De Niro heads the cast of the film with a superlative performance. Thematically, ‘Meet the Parents’ is quite similar to ‘Father of the Bride.’ De Niro portrays the disgruntled father of the girl with much gusto.
4. How I Became Russian (2019)
‘How I Became Russian’ is a Russian-Chinese romantic comedy film. Peng Peng is a young man from China. He falls in love with a beautiful Russian girl named Ira Platanova and travels to Russia to convince her family that he will be the perfect match for her. Hilarity ensues when his would-be father-in-law creates a series of trials for him. He must pass with flying colors to win the older man’s approval. ‘How I Become Russian’ offers an unconventional take on the familiar tropes. While the Russian setting is unfamiliar, Peng Peng’s trials aren’t. We have seen them in one form or other in ‘father of the Bride’ and other entries in the list.
3. Why Him? (2016)
In ‘Why Him,’ Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston) becomes the agitated father when he discovers that his daughter’s new boyfriend, Laird Mayhew (James Franco), is an eccentric and foul-mouthed multi-millionaire. Laird’s over-the-top personality flabbergasts Ned, who can’t believe that his daughter is dating someone like Laird. Meanwhile, Laird is simply a child who refuses to grow up. Like ‘Father of the Bride,’ ‘Why Him?’ is ultimately about family. Everything Laird does in the film stems from his desire to be part of the Fleming family.
2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ is an earnest celebration of Greek culture. Ian Miller meets Fotoula “Toula” Portokalos, and they fall in love. Soon, Ian meets her family and happily becomes a part of it. ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ is a quintessential immigrant film. It showcases the beauty of Greek culture while underscoring America’s role as a perfect melting pot. The film is also about acceptance, love, and family — themes it shares with ‘Father of the Bride.’ In 2016, a sequel to the original, titled ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’ was released. A third film in the series is currently in development.
1. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ is one of the most important films of the 1960s. It is one of the first films to portray interracial relationships in a positive light. The story revolves around Joanna Drayton, who brings her African American fiancé, Dr. John Wade Prentice (Sidney Poitier), to meet her parents, Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) and Christina Drayton (Katharine Hepburn).
Although Draytons are liberals, their initial reaction to their daughter’s new relationship is an utter surprise. ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ is the final time Spencer and Hepburn worked together. Spencer passed away 17 days after the filming was completed. Like ‘Father of the Bride,’ and others on the list, ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ has a disapproving father-in-law, but his objection stems from the fear that his daughter and her would-be husband will not find acceptance in the contemporary society.
