Fathers and Daughters

Plot

A Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist grapples with being a widower and father after a mental breakdown while, twenty-five years later, his grown daughter struggles to forge connections of her own.

Development

Gabriele Muccino was hired to direct during the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Russell Crowe was the first cast in October, with Amanda Seyfried joining the same month as Crowe's daughter.

Casting

In November, Aaron Paul was cast in the film as Seyfried's love interest. Actresses Diane Kruger, Octavia Spencer, and Quvenzhané Wallis were cast in the film during the Berlin Film Festival. The same month, Janet McTeer was cast. In April 2014, it was announced Jane Fonda, and Bruce Greenwood had joined the cast of the film.

Filming

Crew members scouted Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a filming location, with production slated for an April start date. Principal photography officially began on March 14 in Pittsburgh.

Music

Michael Bolton sings and wrote the song to this movie.

On May 25, 2014, James Horner was originally hired to compose the music for the film, but on September 26, Paolo Buonvino replaced Horner to score the film.

Release

The film was released first in Italy on October 1, 2015. It was then released in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2015, by Warner Bros. Vertical Entertainment will distribute the film in the U.S on July 8, 2016.

Critical Response

The film received negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports a rating of 28% based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 4.2/10; the site's consensus states: "Fathers and Daughters name-brand cast can't cover for a screenplay that makes a half-hearted effort at delving into family dynamics but falls back on melodrama." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 31% from 17 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".