Uncover the Truth About Christmas Movie Dads
Walter Hobbs from Elf
In Elf, Papa Elf was a great father figure, but Walter Hobbs, Buddy's biological dad, was a different story. He was grumpy and showed little interest in his family. He was more concerned with his job than being a present father. Even when he published a children's book with missing pages, it showed his lack of attention. By the end of the film, he did learn a lesson, but it took him too long. He was a terrible and inconsiderate husband/father long before Buddy arrived. It's hard to understand why he gets forgiven so easily.
His behavior towards his wife, Emily, and son, Michael, was unacceptable. He tried to push Buddy onto them instead of taking responsibility. This shows a lack of emotional connection and a failure to be a supportive parent.
Peter McCallister from Home Alone
Kate McCallister is a memorable character, and a big part of that is because Catherine O'Hara played her so well. But Kate does so much more than the other family members. She stops to pay the pizza delivery guy and disciplines Kevin when he gets into trouble. Meanwhile, Peter sits back and lets his wife do all the work.
When they discover Kevin was left behind, Peter leaves Kate at the airport while he goes to meet the rest of the family. He shows little concern and doesn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. It's easy to empathize with Kate's mental turmoil, but Peter seems almost indifferent. This highlights the imbalance in their family dynamic.
Scott Calvin from The Santa Clause
Before becoming Santa, Scott Calvin was a neglectful and selfish father. He prioritized his job over his family and even criticized Charlie's stepdad in front of him. This set a poor example and showed a lack of respect for his ex-wife. And let's not forget that he accidentally killed the other Santa and showed no remorse. It's important for fathers to show humanity and not make such serious mistakes.
His actions had a negative impact on Charlie and his family. As a father figure, he should have been more responsible and caring.
Howard Langston from Jingle All the Way
Arnold Schwarzenegger's charm and muscles can't hide the fact that Howard Langston is to blame for the chaos in the movie. If he had listened to his wife and gotten the Turbo Man action figure, they could have had a peaceful holiday. But he didn't, and chaos ensued.
He comes off as a hero to his son in the end, but he was the one who caused the problem in the first place. He didn't solve anything; he just tried to fix it. This doesn't deserve praise or a reward.
Clark Griswold from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Clark Griswold starts the film with road rage and makes inappropriate remarks to his neighbor. He ignores his wife's advice and has creepy fantasies. His actions are far from what a good patriarch should be.
Although the movie is meant to be ridiculous, it still represents a tired trope of the husband being the fun one without facing consequences. The wife is left to be the calm and responsible one, observing from the sidelines.
The Old Man from A Christmas Story
Ralphie's dad is simply credited as The Old Man, which shows his lack of attentiveness. He won a leg lamp and proudly displayed it, which is not exactly a sign of good parenting. But at least he was there for his kids in his own way.
His actions may not be as extreme as some of the other dads, but they still contribute to the overall theme of the disappointing Christmas movie dads.
Harry from Love Actually
Harry cheated on his wife, whether it was mentally, emotionally, or physically. His actions were unfaithful and showed a lack of commitment to his marriage. Even when he was caught, he only admitted to it because he was discovered.
His wife and kids still seemed to be together at the end of the movie, but it's questionable whether he truly deserves their forgiveness. This shows the complexity of family relationships in these movies.
These fictional movie dads are not the kind of role models our kids should have. They represent tired tropes that need to change. Our kids deserve better every day, not just during the holidays.