Dealing With Dad focuses on a dysfunctional family that everyone will likely be able to relate to. It’s also funny and full of heart.
Dealing With Dad is completely unafraid to dive into the taboo subject of depression. By adding in the element of how poorly the father treated his children prior to finding himself in this state, it allows for some humor to come through, which breaks up the deep exploration of a dysfunctional family when needed.
In this film, Margaret (Ally Maki), Roy (Peter S. Kim), and Larry (Hayden Szeto) must come together to try to help their father out of a deep depression once he loses his job. However, they realize that he is now a nicer person, which is something they missed out on during their childhood. He was always strict with them and never complimented them, so they have to decide if they will help him with his mental health issues, or if they will let it slide and take in the appreciation they never experienced.
This film should come with a trigger warning, depending on your relationship with your father. However, it is actually quite eye-opening and could provide you with some new insight that you would never have if it wasn’t for Dealing With Dad.
The story itself is brilliant. It is written very well, making it feel relatable for many people — we all have family issues, don’t we? This is a very ground level movie that doesn’t ever try to do too much. It works so well largely in part due to the cast. The kids all feel as if they have that sibling bond. They will always be there for each other, but they also know how to push each other’s buttons if they feel like fighting.
The longer Dealing With Dad goes on, the more slowly it hits the key plot points. It feels as if you, the viewer, are watching someone unpack all of their past traumas and emotional abuse to come to a realization they didn’t know they ever could get to. All three siblings are fantastic, and perfectly take on their roles, however it is Ally Maki who shines the most in the film.
As it is pointed out by the character of Roy, she has always been the one to take charge (which we see a glimpse of in the opening scene). That is just her personality. While we do get a sense of what each of the three is going through with their father, we follow the character of Margaret the most.
For me, personally, I found myself easily relating to her. So much so that by just a facial expression in one of the final scenes, she made me burst out into tears. Maki also has a pretty heavy monologue towards the end of the film that will have anyone who knows someone that battles depression in their feels.
As a comic book geek and collector, I could also relate to the character of Larry. He is the youngest of the bunch and is treated as the most immature and childish throughout the movie. That said, he has some really key moments, and provides a lot of the comic relief.
At an hour and forty-six minutes, Dealing With Dad runs a little on the long side. This is probably the only real issue with the movie. If it could have come in at solid ninety, there wouldn’t be any real complaints at all. There are a few scenes that could be cut or shortened in order to solidify a shorter runtime, however this really is me just being nitpicky.
Overall Thoughts
Dealing With Dad does a wonderful job of bringing a dysfunctional family to the screen. It dives into depression, and the effect that can have on those around it, unapologetically and without holding back. On top of that, the movie explores past trauma and abuse, while also offering the exploration of another side to the story.
The fact is, we don’t know what our parents were like before we were born, and we certainly don’t know the sacrifices they have made for us. Especially if they refuse to talk about their past.
That is what truly sets this film apart from others like it. It is easy to become invested in this family, and fall in love with them. They are all dealing with something, on top of dealing with their father’s health issues. Even Sophie, their mother, has some learning and growing to do.
Dealing With Dad is sure to inspire viewers to call their loved ones, especially if they haven’t talked with them in a while. Overall, this movie has quite a bit of humor, but it is the important messages of understanding, love, and appreciation for what we have the really shine through.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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About Dealing With Dad
Margaret Chang (Ally Maki) reluctantly returns to her hometown, along with her hapless brothers, to deal with the sudden depression of their jerk of a dad. As it turns out he’s nicer depressed than well, and the siblings wonder if they should even get him better as they struggle to find a solution.
Dealing With Dad is available on streaming platforms now.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.