Dads and their female offspring are a whole different pot of stew from mothers and their girls — both in the movies and in real life. Director Gabriele Muccino (“The Pursuit of Happyness”) takes on the theme in “Fathers and Daughters,” but doesn’t bring anything new to the party. In fact, his movie feels like a convoluted excuse for beautiful but emotionally damaged Katie (Amanda Seyfried) to have a meaningful relationship with the cute and muscular Cameron (Aaron Paul). The whole thing seems coated with a brand of romantic goo usually found in a Nicolas Sparks vehicle. Or am I the only crank in the screening room?
One thing the film touches on, but never digs into, is that the cinematic father-daughter relationship — whether it’s painful, as in the case of this movie, or positive and inspirational, as in the case of, say, “Contact” — provides excellent fodder for romance, whereas with moms and daughters it works in the opposite direction. A woman with a father fixation can seem alluring and mysterious — a damsel in distress just waiting for the right guy to come along — but a woman with mom issues is often a turn-off.
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