As a child, having a healthy bond with your parents is crucial; it promotes mental, emotional, and linguistic development and is ultimately one of the most powerful connections two people can share. Many remark that a daughter's first love is her father. While this isn't always the case, it actually happens a lot. It's always heartwarming to witness these strong relationships translated into film, especially when a movie highlights how safe and secure a child feels with her caregiver.

Throughout the years, many touching features have successfully depicted beautiful father-daughter relationships, showing how inspiring, unconditional, and encouraging a father's love can be. To celebrate this unique bond, we look back at some of the best movies about fathers and daughters, ranking them by how accurately they depict this strong connection as well as their entertainment value.

20 'Father of the Bride' (1991)

Directed by Charles Shyer

Steve Martin’s George Banks is devastated when his beloved daughter (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) decides to marry a wealthy man, as he can’t imagine what life is going to be like without her. When their wedding takes place at their home, George finds himself descending into a nightmare.

This romantic comedy by Charles Shyer may not be fit for everyone’s liking, but it is still a charming and well-executed movie; the average moviegoer who’s keen on the genre may actually enjoy it. On top of featuring one of the most iconic father-and-daughter duos in film, Father of the Bride is funny and even touching at times. Its depiction of a father realizing that his baby daughter is not a baby anymore is precise and makes the movie a relatable picture to some.

19 'Definitely, Maybe' (2008)

Directed by Adam Brooks

Starring Ryan Reynolds in the lead role and set in New York City, Definitely, Maybe is an Adam Brooks romantic comedy that follows 30-something political consultant Will Hayes as he attempts to explain to his 11-year-old daughter, played by Little Miss Sunshine's talented child actor Abigail Breslin, his divorce, past relationships, and how he ended up marrying her mother.

While it doubles as a romantic comedy, Definitely, Maybe is an incredible father-daughter movie, featuring a believable bond between a dad and his kid at its center. What's so great about this all-around nice and enjoyable film is, too, its well-cast characters and the funny, emotional moments. Furthermore, Definitely, Maybe does not shy away from tackling serious themes such as divorce and politics.

18 'Hearts Beat Loud' (2018)

Directed by Brett Haley

In Hearts Beat Loud, a single dad and record store owner (Nick Offerman) and daughter (Kiersey Clemons) form an unlikely songwriting dynamic duo in the summer right before she leaves for college.

Out of all the father-daughter movies here listed, this is probably one of the lesser known. Brett Haley's often overlooked film (which deserves all the audiences' love) is still very much worth watching, as it delivers two great performances — especially from The Last of Us' Offerman — and provides audiences with a meaningful narrative that is both fulfilling and touching with an incredible duo at its center.

17 'King Richard' (2021)

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green

Will Smith steps into the shoes of Richard Williams, the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams (played by Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney), in this critically acclaimed film that landed Smith his Best Actor Academy Award in 2021, after getting his first Oscar nomination in 15 years. The biopic follows Williams as he brings willpower and determination to another level, carving his daughters' names into history.

There is no doubt that the highly praised film features heartwarming daughter-father bonds. As it navigates through the Williams' lives, King Richard sheds an important light on the close relationship the family shares, especially the sisters' relationship with their father. It highlights how big of a role Williams played in the girls' lives, both on and off the court.

16 'Gifted' (2017)

Directed by Marc Webb

With a super smart kid at the film's center, 2017's Gifted is set in Florida and focuses on Frank Adler (Chris Evans), a single man who is responsible for raising his highly intelligent child niece Mary (Mckenna Grace, who has been cast in tons of exciting projects). When the mathematical abilities of prodigy 7-year-old Mary catch the attention of Frank's mother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), a wild turn of events takes place.

Deeply moving and entertaining, this Marc Webb film touches on very sensitive topics, including suicide and parental abandonment, even if it mostly revolves around a second-grader. Nevertheless, Gifted showcases the importance of standing up for others all while translating a beautifully written and complex daughter-father relationship to the screen.

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15 'On the Rocks' (2020)

Directed by Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola's father-daughter movie and comedy-drama On the Rocks stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones as the ultimate father-daughter duo as they attempt to find out whether her husband (Marlon Wayans) has been unfaithful on an adventure through New York.

While beautifully executed like many other films in Coppola's filmography, On the Rocks is likely a different film from what audiences usually expect of the filmmaker. What is so interesting about On the Rocks is how it perfectly captures the dynamic between both characters. While it is not necessarily among Coppola's best movies, it shines a beautiful light on the relationship between a more mature daughter and her, of course, much older father.

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14 'Somewhere' (2010)

Directed by Sofia Coppola

Although it isn’t as popular as other Sofia Coppola pictures, Somewhere is an interesting entry by the treasured filmmaker. The movie stars a young Elle Fanning as Cleo and explores her relationship with her father (Stephen Dorff), a passionless Hollywood star who reevaluates his life when she steps back into the picture.

Coppola enjoys examining girlhood and father-daughter bonds in her movies and has successfully done so in the past. The latter is evident not only through Somewhere but also On the Rocks; while both are great and even a tad underrated movies in this niche category, they are likely to appeal to different age groups, as the nostalgic Somewhere plays like a coming-of-age and features a teenage protagonist while On the Rocks, a more mature story, is led by a young woman.

13 'Leave No Trace' (2018)

Directed by Debra Granik

In Leave No Trace, a military veteran father (Ben Foster) with post-traumatic stress disorder lives in almost total isolation in a vast urban park in Portland, Oregon, with his teenage daughter (Thomasin McKenzie). The lives of both characters take a wild turn when they are picked up by social services after living in total isolation for years.

Dealing with themes of individualism, mental health, and parental relationships, Debra Granik's heartfelt movie depicts a story of survival in the wild, escapism, and disconnection, while also showcasing a strong bond between a daughter and her father. In the meantime, the film also makes a statement on America's support systems for veterans and their families.