Positive family representation in movies?

Submitted by tasfa10 t3_10pc4ij in movies

I imagine this is an unusual one and I'm sorry if it's not really in the scope of this sub.

Me and my girlfriend have been discussing the possibility of having a family together (marrying, moving in together, having kids, etc), but her family is kind of messed up and she hasn't really experienced positive examples of familial relationships and parenting. Not that I expect this to substitute for that, of course, but do you have any movies or tv series suggestions that portray healthy couples, families and parental relationships that we could watch together?

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NoHandBananaNo t1_j6jye34 wrote

The Addams Family. Not kidding, they are wholesome af.

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LadyLurkerHandz t1_j6jq3ec wrote

Parenthood. None of the parents are perfect but they are all good.

Also (randomly) lethal weapon. The whole series features a great side story of a tight knit family.

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TheBSisReal t1_j6k4h6o wrote

Parenthood is the beautiful, wonderful answer to this question. It’s a fantastic show, there’s family drama, but in the end the Bravermans have each other’s back. Bring tissues.

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LadyLurkerHandz t1_j6k4r0n wrote

Oh yes the show is also really good! The original movie is a great watch tho if you haven’t seen it!

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svel t1_j6jjhhg wrote

Mean Girls
Fighting with my Family (with Nick Frost)
also, Chef and Marvel's Ant-Man both handle a divorced couple with a child quite well I think.

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LazyCrocheter t1_j6k0cc5 wrote

Chef is a wonderful gem of a movie. And I do love how Ant-Man was positive about a family even with the ex-wife’s bf.

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LeadershipNo1875 t1_j6khhkz wrote

Chef is my favorite comfort movie. Always makes me feel better and inspires me.

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Kiethblacklion t1_j6jkuiy wrote

This may sound surprising, but Nat'l Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and the original Nat'l Lampoon's Vacation movie. The Griswalds aren't perfect, but despite all the zany antics the dad gets them into, they do feel more like a real family than a lot of movies portray.

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NoPolicing t1_j6jl2fr wrote

Shazam and Instant Family.

Although they focus on foster families, it showed how being patient and supportive isn't always easy with teens and kids. I love the 2 perspectives they showed and the challenges it has with dealing with kids that aren't your own.

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_alien-superstar_ t1_j6ju42l wrote

I loved how the parents were depicted on Shazam. They felt genuinely warm and supportive, even when they were scared or trying to set boundaries. The actors and the casting department really hit it out of the park.

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Behemothic1 t1_j6k8h49 wrote

Finding Nemo is low-key probably the best movie about parenting. It's primarily a father-son single dad movie though

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ZorroMeansFox t1_j6kbgw2 wrote

Breaking Away has a deeply loving, "understanding" family at its heart.

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PugnaciousPangolin t1_j6kek4o wrote

My tip-top recommendation would be:

"The Castle", a wonderful Australian comedy. The story and characters are WONDERFUL.

Runner-Ups below because both are dramas with some dark moments. Thankfully, both of them end on an upbeat note.

"The Man in the Moon" with a very young Reese Witherspoon.

"The Secret of Roan Inish", written and directed by John Sayles.

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spinereader81 t1_j6kx4wc wrote

Little Boxes. Obscure little movie about a multicultural family who moves from the a big city to a small town and struggles to fit in. There are arguments, but they have such a close bond.

Yours, Mine and Ours. Blended family, but still loving.

Inside Out. Though most of the focus is on the emotions.

An American Tail. But they aren't together for most of the movie.

Father of the Bride

101 Dalmations

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Futur_alliance t1_j6jkywz wrote

My big fat Greek wedding?. The show Family Ties?

Very hard to find positive family relationships in film as A) its unrealistic B) its boring for a film to have no drama.

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FunstarJ t1_j6jyprr wrote

Speed Racer. The supportive parents make me cry every time.

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ImaginaaaationG t1_j6jor7q wrote

Not sure if this is the vein of genre you're looking for based on others comments...but "Away We Go" is a beautiful movie about a couple (John Krasinksi and Maya Rudolph) who are expecting but they're trying to find the perfect place to settle down and start a family. More drama than comedy but has an amazing soundtrack and hits pretty deep.

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gillhill57953 t1_j6lvo39 wrote

Not a movie, but Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore in Santa Clarita Diet are couple/family goals. Even though she’s a zombie.

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maggierae508 t1_j6oerv0 wrote

A really fun, light-hearted movie about family is mom's night out. It has a bunch of silly capers and amusing dialogue with a great story about the value of family.

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xxStrangerxx t1_j6jjiwl wrote

Get thee to Barry Sonnenfeld's ADDAMS FAMILY two-fer; MEN IN BLACK 3 is also surprisingly emotional

I also recommend AMELIE, but would recommend that film to anyone for any reason

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damienkarras1973 t1_j6k2vze wrote

as dysfunctional as they are? The family in "This is where I leave You" seems like an actual healthy family relationship. They give each other hell but it's a healthy hell they're not being spiteful or hateful even with all the differences.

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