Review of Like Father (2018) by A M — 14 Aug 2018

This movie takes a real life trauma and reduces it to a single conversation with a good cry. It does a disservice to all children who have been abandoned and emotionally abused by their parents. The viewer, along with the daughter, is encouraged to forgive the offending parent (which is fine) but is then asked to take pity on the offender and to give up positive life events for the offender.

It is basically encouraging and continuing the emotional abuse the child has been caught up in all along. Because no child who has been abandoned by a parent has the power to deny that parent when the parent gets lonely, is sad, and needs company.

It takes advantage of a traumatized and wounded individual rather than empowering them to care for themselves while being forgiving. To reduce the experience of heartache and forgiveness (which in reality would take a life-time) down to one conversation and a good cry plays on the un-realistic dreams and scenarios all abandoned children play through their mind daily for years and continue to wound themselves with into adulthood.

This film also makes no mention of how this trauma makes devastating affects on the child's ability to relate to others, maintain relationships, and enjoy long-term commitments. This is a story for people who observe abandonment and trauma and not for those who have lived it.

A complete miss in understanding the complexities of the experience.