Movies have seriously dropped the ball when it comes to presenting Black dads, they’re either total stereotypes or just missing. This has shifted in the hands of Black filmmakers. We’re seeing Black fathers, from different walks of life, highlighted in films now. From tear-jerking dramas to real-life documentaries that actually show Black fathers as they really are: loving, imperfect, and dedicated to their kids. BLACK ENTERPRISE selected nine movies that show all the complex layers of Black fatherhood through different generations. And it’s about time, right?
Boyz n the Hood
Boyz n the Hood (1991) is more than a coming of age story, it digged into what fatherhood looks like in the crazy world of South Central L.A. It highlighted the complicated father-son relationship between Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and his dad Furious (Laurence Fishburne). Furious is that tough-love dad, keeping his son on track while the neighborhood’s falling apart around them. What makes this film hit different is how it shows something we rarely got to see back then: a single Black father who’s actually there, protecting his kid and teaching him how to become a man. John Singleton broke records as the youngest director ever nominated for an Oscar, and the first Black one too!
The Pursuit of Happyness
The Pursuit of Happyness came out in 2006. It’s honestly one of my favorites. Will Smith not only produced it, but also starred in it alongside his son Jaden, which makes those father-son moments hit so much harder. Director Gabriele Muccino really captured the gut-wrenching journey of Chris Gardner, a real guy who went through homelessness while trying to give his kid a better shot at life. Will’s performance was on point, and the character’s determination poured through the screen. The Pursuit of Happyness is way more than just another tearjerker; it completely flips the script on how Black fathers are typically shown in movies. Instead of tired stereotypes, we get this raw, beautiful story about a dad who would do absolutely anything for his child.
Fences
Fences (2016) really hits you in the gut. It’s a raw look at Troy Maxson, a father in 1950s Pittsburgh played by Denzel Washington. The film is an adaptation of August Wilson’s play that won a Pulitzer. Troy’s story is pretty heavy. The family man was killing it in the Negro Baseball League scene before ending up as a garbage man, carrying generational baggage — while trying to love his family the best way he knew how.
Denzel absolutely crushes it both directing and acting. Together with Viola Davis, the two thespians show you what’s going on inside the heads of many Black fathers, that internal battle of wanting to shield your kids while somehow preparing them for a world that isn’t always kind. Fences is tough to watch but worth the watch.
King Richard
King Richard, released in 2021, is a movie about Venus and Serena Williams’ dad, Richard. Will Smith also crushes this role. The film shows how this determined father had this crazy but genius plan for his daughters to become tennis legends, and wow, did it work out. Richard’s stubborn, outside-the-box parenting style actually paid off. Richard faced so many obstacles but never gave up on his vision. It’s dope how the movie also flips the script on how Black fathers are typically portrayed in the media.
Moonlight
Moonlight, written and directed by Barry Jenkins, created quite the stir in 2016. Jenkins really knocked it out of the park with his take on what fatherhood can actually look like beyond the typical. The movie doesn’t bother with a biological father storyline at all, but Juan (played by Mahershala Ali) played one of the most powerful father figures on screen. He’s a drug dealer. He spots something special in little Chiron and takes him under his wing, everyone else in the boy’s life is dropping the ball left and right. Juan actually shows him real kindness and gives him solid advice, and accepts him for who he is. Moonlight earned its Oscar award. Jenkins’ film nails how random father figures that pop up in our lives can be absolute lifesavers, giving children that love, identity, and emotional stability they’re so desperately missing.
A Thousand and One
A Thousand and One snagged the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2024. The story follows Inez (played by the amazing Teyana Taylor), who makes a desperate decision to take her son back from foster care. While you’re drawn into the intense mother-son relationship, I was really moved by Lucky’s character (Will Catlett), Inez’s partner who steps up in such a beautiful way. The film showcases Black fatherhood in a powerful way, especially as it’s chosen rather than biological.
Crooklyn
Crooklyn is a Spike Lee gem, part funny, part heartwarming, that looks at growing up in 1970s Brooklyn with some real-life Lee family vibes thrown in. Spike teamed up with his siblings Joie and Cinqué to write it. Delroy Lindo kills it as Woody Carmichael, a musician dad of five, who is both the source of laughs and drama in their cramped brownstone. What makes this film special is how it shows the beautiful mess of a Black family with dad right there in the mix, creative, deeply human, and very much present through all the daily chaos and love.
Daddy Don’t Go
Emily Abt’s 2015 documentary, Daddy Don’t Go, follows four young New York City dads. Alex, Roy, Nelson and Omar, hustle against poverty and systemic BS while raising their kids. Omar Epps helped fund it with Malik Yoba executive producing. The film debunks tired stereotypes about absent Black fathers who pour into fatherhood despite everything stacked against them.
John Q
In John Q, Denzel Washington plays a desperate dad who literally takes an emergency room hostage to save his kid’s life. Sure, it’s a jab at our messed-up healthcare system, but at its heart, it’s about how far a father will go for his child. Washington shows the raw emotional, physical, and moral sacrifices that Black fathers make for their kids.
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