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Fathers & Sons

Fathers & Sons

A serial killer. A prophet of death. And one family caught between them.

1992109 minRMidcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Director
Paul Mones
Starring
Jeff Goldblum, Rory Cochrane, Mitchell Marchand, Famke Janssen

A beach runner and bookworm has difficulty communicating with his son. He meets a psychic on a pier at the beach and soon his world turns topsy-turvy with a serial killer coming between him and his son. The ensuing E.S.P. experiences and danger bond father and son.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Fathers & Sons?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Fathers & Sons on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Fathers & Sons?

Fathers & Sons earns 1 badge: Award Nominee.

Reception

Is Fathers & Sons worth watching?

Fathers & Sons' Midcredits score is the 13th percentile of all films, from 727 ratings across 3 sources. 24% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

13th percentile

Better received than 13% of films

8th percentile among Drama14th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)15th
Approval (how many liked it)14th

49 /100

15th percentile of all films

11th percentile among Drama14th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

24% liked it

14th percentile of all films

9th percentile among Drama15th percentile among 1990s
24% rated it 7–1076% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

41st percentile

727 ratings across platforms

43rd percentile among Drama35th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Domestic gross$7K
Worldwide gross$7K

10th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film centers on a father-son relationship set against a mysterious serial killer plot.

Fans praised

  • Goldblum's tender and intuitive fatherly performance
  • atmospheric and emotionally immersive tone
  • deeper themes of psychic connection and universal community

Detractors panned

  • confused and unfocused blend of genres
  • tedious pacing with excessive runtime
  • pretentious and stilted dialogue with voiceover narration

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive55

mysterious and immersive for fans; pretentious and tedious for detractors

Sound and musicDivisive55

piano piece and John Gorka song praised; soap-opera saxophone panned

ActingDivisive45

Goldblum praised as nuanced; supporting cast called wasted or hammy

Emotional impactDivisive40

fans deeply moved by father-son bond; detractors call it forced

EndingDivisive35

intuition saves son but climax called ludicrous

DialogueDivisive25

stilted and self-aware, but fans find some passages intriguing

Plot and storyDivisive20

muddled thriller/drama hybrid with ludicrous resolution

Pacing15

slow, meandering, at least 45 minutes too long

Watch experience

What is Fathers & Sons like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film takes a sincere, earnest approach to its father-son drama and the psychic thriller elements, though the execution is slow and meandering.
The rideSlow and meandering, with tension building toward the climax where the son is attacked.
StructureSynopsis and reviews suggest a conventional linear narrative with voiceover, likely following a three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a sense of renewed connection between father and son, tinged with the memory of the danger they survived.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story involves a serial killer threatening a father and son, with the danger ultimately bonding them. The thriller elements appear secondary to the relationship arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% (this title) · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Parenthood · 2% of filmsComing of age · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a father struggling to connect with his teenage son, and how shared danger and psychic experiences mend their relationship.
StanceThe film affirms the value of the father-son bond, showing how danger and shared experience can strengthen it.

The world

ContemporarySmall townIn transitRealistic
JazzOrchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Mason Daring
SettingA small Jersey Shore beach town in the early 1990s
MusicFeatures a piano motif and saxophone underscores, with John Gorka song at end credits.

Cast and crew

Who is in Fathers & Sons?

Cast

Jeff Goldblum
as Max
Rory Cochrane
as Ed
Mitchell Marchand
as Smiley
Famke Janssen
as Kyle Christian
Natasha Gregson Wagner
as Lisa
Erika Alexander
as Venell
Rocky Carroll
as Flo
Paul Hipp
as Doogy
Michael Imperioli
as Johnny
Ellen Greene
as Judy

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Fathers & Sons?

Movies like Fathers & Sons include Breaking In (2018), Ezra (2023) and The Monster (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in a small town, and several are stories about a predator on the loose.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its subject: parenthood. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Fathers & Sons?

3.4K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: serial killer. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.