“Like Father Like Son” Falls Short

Like Father Like Son (Barry Jay, 2025) 2 out of 5 stars

Most movie patrons would likely agree that the number-one reason why an individual would watch a film would be their personal interest in the plot. Sure, there are some who may flock to theaters to see their favorite director or favorite actor’s latest work, or who may indulge in a movie based on positive reviews. Still, I’d argue 90% of the general public tune in to a film because they find the concept intriguing.

Now, as a filmmaker, if you have an intriguing concept, that’s a great start. Executing that concept to its full potential is a whole other challenge, though. This is where many films fail: the poor presentation of a compelling concept.

However, what if a film has a fascinating concept and explores it well? One may think that’s a fail-safe recipe for success. It should be, but, what if every other aspect of the film falters? What, then, are we to make of the movie as a whole? Such a dilemma takes place with director Barry Jay’s Like Father Like Son.

In the film, Eli (Dylan Flashner, Bandit) is the son of imprisoned serial killer Gabe (Dermot Mulroney, Scream VI). With the loss of his car, his phone, and his job, Eli has fallen on hard times and finds it difficult to control his anger. His therapist suggests he visit his dad in jail to try to get some closure, and when Eli does so, his dad warns him to be careful, as he is his son.

Eli befriends a near-homeless girl named Hailey (Ariel Winter, ABC’s Modern Family) and allows her to stay with him. Even as things start to look up, Eli begins to feel violent tendencies towards those who wrong him or Hailey. Will Eli be able to break free of his family’s past, or will he end up just like his father?

I would consider myself one of those moviegoers who flock to a film for an intriguing plot above all. This concept of a father and son serial-killer dynamic fascinates, which is why I decided to check out the film. The filmmakers explore the concept fully, and the film’s biggest strength are the scenes between Eli and Gabe and the references Eli bestows upon his father.

The two characters are easy to root for, surprisingly even Gabe. Though he is a convicted serial killer, he makes the argument that those he has killed in the past “deserved it,” and the viewer certainly can open their mind to that possibility and perhaps even agree. The film remains interesting throughout and the audience is never bored at any point, to the filmmakers’ credit.

Sadly, however, almost every other facet of the film fails. While the characters and plot are compelling, the dialogue is not. In fact, one of the very first lines of dialogue in the film is delivered so poorly that it left a negative stain that the rest of the movie could never quite wash off. The writing for the characters’ dialogue is simply far too bland and expository. At many points, characters are saying out loud word for word exactly what is or has happened to them, repeatedly, even though the audience already can deduce what’s going on.

The performances of the cast are all over the place, too. Thankfully, the main cast of Flashner, Mulroney, and Winter are all acceptable. Some of the supporting characters, however, turn in laughable efforts. I’m unsure if it’s the already horrid dialogue that causes many instances of cringe line delivery or if they simply didn’t cast well enough for the minor parts, but these performances are at best distracting and at worst completely ruin the scene they’re in.

Like Father Like Son falters in nearly all technical departments, as well. The camerawork is pretty shoddy, with some shaky images and a dull, muted color palette. The editing offers a strange conundrum, as the more advanced editing featured such as image overlays and visual effects are actually quite good. Strangely, it’s the basic editing that is very poor, with a failure to properly match action in some scenes and awkward visual transitions and jarring audio cuts.

The conclusion of the film, as with much of the rest of it, features intriguing plot points along with the same low-quality dialogue. It’s certainly a finish to remember, but the pacing becomes far too fast and certain events are glazed over. There are also a few unbelievable elements introduced near the very end that are unjustifiably convenient and seem a bit forced.

Overall, Like Father Like Son is a strange case of a film that fulfills the promise of its already intriguing premise, yet still falls flat. Not many films manage this feat, but with uninspired dialogue, some very poor performances of minor characters, and lackluster technical elements, the collection of negative aspects sinks the positive ones, even if the film succeeds where it should matter most. Is it really true that a plethora of minor misses makes a film fail overall? In this specific case, I believe so, but perhaps try the film out for yourself. If nothing less, you’ll be entertained, for better or for worse.

Matt Patti

Matt Patti has enjoyed voicing his opinions on films from a young age. He has lived in the Baltimore, Maryland, area since 2015 and is a graduate of Stevenson University’s Film & Moving Image program. Matt is currently back at Stevenson University, working as the School of Design, Arts, and Communication's Studio Manager.