Father and Daughter

Very few films can actually make me feel real emotion. There have been some cases, like Pursuit of Happyness, Toy Story 3, and Horton Hears a Who, but the list is short. I was not even affected by any of the Gospel is Tragedy films we saw in class. That’s what makes Father and Daughter so special. I wasn't balling my eyes out, but I did feel the same emotional weight as if I was going through a sad experience myself.

The crazy thing about Father and Daughter too is that while most emotional films get their power from a gradual buildup of circumstances and from the viewer’s slowly formed personal connection to the characters, Father and Daughter had its power at the very beginning. I can tell you the exact moment too: it was that second hug. When the father went back to the daughter to hug her a second time, I immediately felt sadness, and I didn't want the father to leave. It felt real to me. If he didn't hug her a second time, I probably wouldn't have cared about the daughter at all, but the power of that first scene stuck with me through the whole film. Father and Daughter could do this because it was relatable immediately. We've all had a father and we've all had to say goodbye to someone we care about.