This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Generations collide in this hysterical comedy starring Sebastian Maniscalco and two-time Oscar® winner Robert De Niro (including Best Actor, Raging Bull, 1980). Sebastian (Maniscalco) is encouraged by his fiancée (Leslie Bibb) to bring his Italian hairdresser father Salvo (De Niro) to a weekend get-together to meet her wealthy and eccentric family (Anders Holm, David Rasche, Brett Dier, and Kim Cattrall). As the weekend turns into an outrageous clash of cultures, Sebastian and Salvo discover that the great thing about family is everything about family.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/17tejdPYFEY?si=xtnPhfZ-HocLUv99&t=942]

Video Quality

Lionsgate Home Entertainment brings About My Father to Blu-Ray with a stunning 1080p video presentation in its original 2.39:1. As you would probably expect from a brand new film, the image is virtually flawless with the bright natural color palette leaping off the screen. The film deploys nice splashes of vivid colors within the clothing, locations and production design which delivers a gorgeous visual aesthetic.

These elements provide crisp and clear textural details which adds to the intricacy of the frame. Highlights show no signs of blooming, and the black levels are deep with no egregious digital noise. The flesh tones are natural with an agreeable amount of detail present in close-ups, especially in the facial lines. The presentation provides a substantial amount of depth on display, especially when the characters are out in the open air. Lionsgate has given this one a terrific visual presentation.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a surprisingly hefty Dolby Atmos track that gives a knockout audio experience. Ambient sounds of the family on their compound or at public gatherings are carefully placed in the rear and surround channels. With this narrative, the height channels are not carrying the majority of the information, but they allow the world to feel a bit more expansive and three dimensional. The audio track is not going to be used to show off your system, but it proves to be a dynamic sounding presentation for this feature.

Dialogue comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by any competing sounds. Kinetic sequences such as the water jet are more of an anomaly throughout this journey, but they dig deep when necessary. Other environmental sounds engage the surround speakers in a consistent manner. The light score and soundtrack fills the speakers in a well-balanced way which complements the narrative. Lionsgate has delivered a better-than-expected audio experience for this one. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

One Big Happy Family – Making Of About My Father: An 11-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the development of the film, personal elements woven into the script, finding the humor within the family dynamics, what the performers bring to their characters, the atmosphere on set and more.
Sebastian – The Big Stage To The Big Screen: A six-minute piece which takes a look at the comedy of Maniscalco and how the familial nature of his routine translates into a feature film.
About My Look – From Frugal To Fancy: A five-minute look at the production team that came together to bring this world to life from the clothing to the production design and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

About My Father is a safe narrative for Sebastian Maniscalco to use as a more serious launching point for his career as a leading man on screen. He clearly knows and loves the material, but he does not do much to distinguish himself as a comedic voice outside of standup. The ensemble supports him well, but the truth is that the script is not giving anyone anything particularly new or exciting to work with. You may find moments passably amusing, but they are unlikely to stick with you after the credits have finished rolling. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and a couple of fine special features. If you are a fan of Maniscalco, you will probably have a decent time, but he does not give newcomers a lot of hope that he is long for the big screen.

About My Father is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.