About My Father made an offer that Netflix audiences couldn’t refuse, and has become a global hit. The 2023 comedy stars Robert De Niro as Salvo, a traditional Italian immigrant father whose son (played by Sebastian Maniscalco) informs him that he plans to propose to his all-American girlfriend, and Salvo insists on spending the weekend with her parents.
In addition to starring, Sebastian Maniscalco also co-wrote the comedy based on his own life and his relationship with his father. Leslie Bibb, five-time Emmy nominee Kim Cattrall (Sєx and the City), David Rasche, Anders Holm, and Briett Dier star in supporting roles. The film was directed by Laura Terruso, with a script co-written by Austen Earl.
Now, two years after its release, About My Father ranks ninth on Netflix’s Global Top 10 movies for the week of September 29 to October 5 with 2.1 million views and 3.2 million hours viewed. It ranks below KPop Demon Hunters, Ruth & Boaz, Karate Kid: Legends, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, The Wrong Paris, Dog Man, Man on Fire, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and above Hop.
About My Father also ranks second, behind only KPop Demon Hunters, on Netflix’s Top 10 movies in the United States for today, October 8.
Like many of Robert De Niro’s comedies, most infamously Dirty Grandpa (2016), About My Father reviews panned the film, resulting in a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score. Though Sebastian Maniscalco draws on his own life for inspiration, About My Father unintentionally shows that a hilarious stand-up act doesn’t automatically translate into an engaging movie.
However, one of the top stand-up comedians, Sebastian Maniscalco, teaming up with the legendary Robert De Niro has proven to be tantalizing for audiences. Released in theaters in May 2023, About My Father made a quietly impressive $18.2 million at the box office against its small budget of approximately $6 million, and has gone on to become a global hit on Netflix.
About My Father has fared much better with audiences, indicated by its 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, who found it charming and heartfelt – an enjoyable family film that balances touching moments with plenty of humor. With About My Father streaming on Netflix, audiences can watch the film and form their own opinions and see which side they fall on.
