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The Best Father-Daughter Movies 

Ranker Film
Updated April 24, 2020 2.6k votes 878 voters 122.9k views 47 items

List Rules Vote up the movies that best represent father-daughter relationships or have the shine the most interesting spotlights on this unique connection.

This list contains information about father-daughter movies, ranked from best to worst by user votes. The best movies about fathers and daughters come in many forms. Some father daughter relationship movies are about overcoming hardship while other movies about father and daughters are comedies. A few of the greatest father and daughter movies are even a bit on the creepy side.

What films will you find on this best father-daughter movie list? Steve Martin played the most lovable father in the world in the 1991 film, Father of the Bride. The film's sequel found him preparing for the new role of grandfather, as he saddles up for another run at fatherhood. The Descendants, starring George Clooney, is another good movie which examines father-daughter relationships.

After Liam Neeson's daughter is captured in the 2008 movie, Taken, he reveals that he has a very particular set of skills, skills he has acquired over a very long career. Other good films on this top father-daughter movies list include Brave, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Lovely Bones.

Which movie about dads and daughters do you think deserves the top spot on this list? Let your voice be heard by giving your favorites a thumbs up and please add any good daddy-daughter movies we may have missed.

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1
Father of the Bride is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short

Released: 1991

Directed by: Charles Shyer

Father of the Bride is a 1991 American comedy film starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams, George Newbern, Martin Short, B.D. Wong and Kieran Culkin. It is a remake of the 1950 ...more

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2
Taken is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace

Released: 2008

Directed by: Pierre Morel

Taken is a 2008 French action thriller film directed by Pierre Morel. A former CIA operative (Liam Neeson) sets about tracking down his teenage daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and her best friend ...more

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3
The Little Mermaid is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Tom Islava added Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll

Released: 1989

Directed by: Ron Clements, John Musker

The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the Danish fairy tale by Hans ...more

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4
To Kill a Mockingbird is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Robert Duvall, Gregory Peck, William Windom

Released: 1962

Directed by: Robert Mulligan

To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film directed by Robert Mulligan. The screenplay by Horton Foote was based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee. ...more

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5
Beauty and the Beast is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Tom Islava added Angela Lansbury, Frank Welker, Jerry Orbach

Released: 1991

Directed by: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 30th film in the Walt Disney ...more

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6
Brave is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson, Billy Connolly

Released: 2012

Directed by: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Brave is a 2012 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and ...more

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7
Crazy, Stupid, Love. is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling

Released: 2011

Directed by: John Requa, Glenn Ficarra

Crazy, Stupid, Love is a 2011 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, and written by Dan Fogelman. It stars Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma ...more

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8
We Bought a Zoo is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Scarlett Johansson, Matt Damon, Elle Fanning

Released: 2011

Directed by: Cameron Crowe

We Bought a Zoo is a 2011 American family comedy-drama film loosely based on the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee. The film is directed by Cameron Crowe, and stars Matt Damon as ...more

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9
Definitely, Maybe is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, Isla Fisher

Released: 2008

Directed by: Adam Brooks

Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin and ...more

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10
Father of the Bride Part... is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
carlybobarly added Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short

Released: 1995

Directed by: Charles Shyer

Father of the Bride Part II is a 1995 comedy film starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short. The film is a sequel to Father of the Bride and a loose remake of the 1951 film Father's ...more

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11
The Descendants is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Judy Greer

Released: 2011

Directed by: Alexander Payne

The Descendants is a 2011 American drama film directed by Alexander Payne. The screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash is based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings. The film ...more

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12
Paper Moon is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Tatum O'Neal, Randy Quaid, Madeline Kahn

Released: 1973

Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich

Paper Moon is a 1973 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and released by Paramount Pictures. Screenwriter Alvin Sargent adapted the script from the novel Addie Pray by Joe ...more

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13
Despicable Me is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand

Released: 2010

Directed by: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Despicable Me is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy film directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud. When a mastermind (Steve Carell) uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand ...more

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14
Trouble with the Curve ... is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Amy Adams, Clint Eastwood, Justin Timberlake

Released: 2012

Directed by: Robert Lorenz

Trouble with the Curve is a 2012 sports-drama film directed by Robert Lorenz and starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, Matthew Lillard, and John Goodman. The film revolves ...more

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15
Father of the Bride is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Elizabeth Taylor, Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett

Released: 1950

Directed by: Vincente Minnelli

Father of the Bride is a 1950 American comedy film about a man trying to cope with preparations for his daughter's upcoming wedding. The movie stars Spencer Tracy in the titular role, Joan ...more

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16
My Girl is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Jamie Lee Curtis, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Aykroyd

Released: 1991

Directed by: Howard Zieff

My Girl is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Howard Zieff and written by Laurice Elehwany. The film, starring Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky in her feature film debut, depicts the ...more

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17
Mulan is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Eddie Murphy, Ming-Na Wen, George Takei

Released: 1998

Directed by: Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook

Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical action-comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan. The 36th animated feature in the Walt ...more

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18
The Lovely Bones is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon

Released: 2009

Directed by: Peter Jackson

The Lovely Bones is a 2009 supernatural drama film directed by Peter Jackson and stars Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, and Saoirse Ronan. A film ...more

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19
Fly Away Home is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Anna Paquin, Dana Delany, Jeff Daniels

Released: 1996

Directed by: Carroll Ballard

Fly Away Home is a 1996 family drama film directed by Carroll Ballard. The film stars Anna Paquin, Jeff Daniels and Dana Delany. The film was released on September 13, 1996 by Columbia Pictures. ...more

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20
The Journey of Natty Gan... is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added John Cusack, Scatman Crothers, Lainie Kazan

Released: 1985

Directed by: Jeremy Kagan

The Journey of Natty Gann is a 1985 American film directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and released by Buena Vista Distribution. The film introduced Meredith Salenger ...more

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21
Light of My Life is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Casey Affleck, Anna Pniowsky, Elisabeth Moss

Released: 2019

Directed by: Casey Affleck

Light of My Life is a 2019 American drama film directed by Casey Affleck. A father (Casey Affleck) and his young daughter (Anna Pniowsky) find themselves trapped in the woods.
22
I Am Sam is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Sean Penn, Dakota Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer

Released: 2001

Directed by: Jessie Nelson

I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film directed by Jessie Nelson. A mentally handicapped man (Sean Penn) fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter (Dakota Fanning) and in the process teaches ...more

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23
The Godfather Part III ... is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Siersha 2 added Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Bridget Fonda

Released: 1990

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to ...more

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24
Meet Joe Black is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Claire Forlani

Released: 1998

Directed by: Martin Brest

Meet Joe Black is a 1998 American fantasy romance film produced by Universal Studios, directed by Martin Brest and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins and Claire Forlani. It was the second ...more

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25
On Golden Pond is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Father-Daughter Movies
carlybobarly added Jane Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda

Released: 1981

Directed by: Mark Rydell

On Golden Pond is a 1981 American drama film directed by Mark Rydell. The screenplay by Ernest Thompson was adapted from his 1979 play of the same title. Henry Fonda won the Academy Award for ...more

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