9 Movies That Highlight The Depth And Energy Of Black Fathers

[ad_1] by Ahsan Washington June 12, 2025

Some motion pictures have critically dropped the ball when depicting Black dads

Motion pictures have critically dropped the ball in terms of presenting Black dads, they’re both whole stereotypes or simply lacking. This has shifted within the palms of Black filmmakers. We’re seeing Black fathers, from totally different walks of life, highlighted in movies now. From tear-jerking dramas to real-life documentaries that really present Black fathers as they are surely: loving, imperfect, and devoted to their youngsters. BLACK ENTERPRISE chosen 9 motion pictures that present all of the advanced layers of Black fatherhood by means of totally different generations. And it’s about time, proper?

Boyz n the Hood

Boyz n the Hood (1991) is greater than a coming of age story, it digged into what fatherhood appears like within the loopy world of South Central L.A. It highlighted the difficult father-son relationship between Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and his dad Livid (Laurence Fishburne). Livid is that tough-love dad, holding his son on monitor whereas the neighborhood’s falling aside round them. What makes this movie hit totally different is the way it exhibits one thing we hardly ever bought to see again then: a single Black father who’s truly there, defending his child and instructing him how you can change into a person. John Singleton broke information because the youngest director ever nominated for an Oscar, and the primary Black one too!

The Pursuit of Happyness

The Pursuit of Happyness got here out in 2006. It’s truthfully one among my favorites. Will Smith not solely produced it, but in addition starred in it alongside his son Jaden, which makes these father-son moments hit a lot more durable. Director Gabriele Muccino actually captured the gut-wrenching journey of Chris Gardner, an actual man who went by means of homelessness whereas making an attempt to provide his child a greater shot at life. Will’s efficiency was on level, and the character’s willpower poured by means of the display screen. The Pursuit of Happyness is far more than simply one other tearjerker; it utterly flips the script on how Black fathers are sometimes proven in motion pictures. As a substitute of drained stereotypes, we get this uncooked, lovely story a few dad who would do completely something for his little one.

Fences

Fences (2016) actually hits you within the intestine. It’s a uncooked have a look at Troy Maxson, a father in Fifties Pittsburgh performed by Denzel Washington. The movie is an adaptation of August Wilson’s play that gained a Pulitzer. Troy’s story is fairly heavy. The household man was killing it within the Negro Baseball League scene earlier than ending up as a rubbish man, carrying generational baggage — whereas making an attempt to like his household one of the simplest ways he knew how.

Denzel completely crushes it each directing and appearing. Along with Viola Davis, the 2 thespians present you what’s occurring contained in the heads of many Black fathers, that inside battle of eager to defend your youngsters whereas one way or the other making ready them for a world that isn’t all the time sort. Fences is hard to look at however well worth the watch.

King Richard

King Richard, launched in 2021, is a film about Venus and Serena Williams’ dad, Richard. Will Smith additionally crushes this function. The movie exhibits how this decided father had this loopy however genius plan for his daughters to change into tennis legends, and wow, did it work out. Richard’s cussed, outside-the-box parenting model truly paid off. Richard confronted so many obstacles however by no means gave up on his imaginative and prescient. It’s dope how the film additionally flips the script on how Black fathers are sometimes portrayed within the media.

Moonlight

Moonlight, written and directed by Barry Jenkins, created fairly the stir in 2016. Jenkins actually knocked it out of the park together with his tackle what fatherhood can truly appear like past the everyday. The film doesn’t trouble with a organic father storyline in any respect, however Juan (performed by Mahershala Ali) performed probably the most highly effective father figures on display screen. He’s a drug seller. He spots one thing particular in little Chiron and takes him beneath his wing, everybody else within the boy’s life is dropping the ball left and proper. Juan truly exhibits him actual kindness and provides him strong recommendation, and accepts him for who he's. Moonlight earned its Oscar award. Jenkins’ movie nails how random father figures that pop up in our lives may be absolute lifesavers, giving kids that love, identification, and emotional stability they’re so desperately lacking.

A Thousand and One

A Thousand and One snagged the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2024. The story follows Inez (performed by the wonderful Teyana Taylor), who makes a determined determination to take her son again from foster care. Whilst you’re drawn into the extraordinary mother-son relationship, I used to be actually moved by Fortunate’s character (Will Catlett), Inez’s accomplice who steps up in such a gorgeous method. The movie showcases Black fatherhood in a strong method, particularly because it’s chosen reasonably than organic.

Crooklyn

Crooklyn is a Spike Lee gem, half humorous, half heartwarming, that appears at rising up in Nineteen Seventies Brooklyn with some real-life Lee household vibes thrown in. Spike teamed up together with his siblings Joie and Cinqué to write down it. Delroy Lindo kills it as Woody Carmichael, a musician dad of 5, who's each the supply of snickers and drama of their cramped brownstone. What makes this movie particular is the way it exhibits the attractive mess of a Black household with dad proper there within the combine, inventive, deeply human, and really a lot current by means of all of the each day chaos and love.

Daddy Don’t Go

Emily Abt’s 2015 documentary, Daddy Don’t Go, follows 4 younger New York Metropolis dads. Alex, Roy, Nelson and Omar, hustle towards poverty and systemic BS whereas elevating their youngsters. Omar Epps helped fund it with Malik Yoba government producing. The movie debunks drained stereotypes about absent Black fathers who pour into fatherhood regardless of the whole lot stacked towards them.

John Q

In John Q, Denzel Washington performs a determined dad who actually takes an emergency room hostage to save lots of his child’s life. Positive, it’s a jab at our messed-up healthcare system, however at its coronary heart, it’s about how far a father will go for his little one. Washington exhibits the uncooked emotional, bodily, and ethical sacrifices that Black fathers make for his or her youngsters.