6 Best Custody Battle Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · April 11, 2026

A custody fight is the most painful kind of legal battle, because the stakes are a child. Marriage Story watches an amicable separation turn into a bicoastal war, Custody exposes hidden abuse during a tense hearing, and I Am Sam has a father with an intellectual disability fighting to keep his daughter. Jersey Girl, Mrs. Doubtfire and Kramer vs. Kramer round out the six.

Marriage Story (2019)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A divorce drama that's somehow fair to both people falling apart.

Directed by Noah Baumbach · 2h 17m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Custody (2017)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A tense custody hearing exposes the hidden abuse a mother and son are desperate to escape.

Directed by James Lapine · 1h 44m

Where to watch

Stream: Lifetime Movie Club, Lifetime Movie Club Apple TV channel, Lifetime Movie Club Amazon Channel, Kino Film Collection

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Jersey Girl (2004)

TMDB ★ 6.1

A widowed father's career ambitions clash with his responsibility to raise his young daughter alone.

Directed by Kevin Smith · 1h 42m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

I Am Sam (2001)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A father with an intellectual disability fights to keep custody of his young daughter.

Directed by Jessie Nelson · 2h 12m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

IMDb ★ 7.1 RT 71% Metacritic 54

A father disguises himself as an elderly nanny just to stay close to his own kids.

Directed by Chris Columbus · 2h 05m · Rated PG-13

Won 1 Oscar11 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, Hulu, FXNow · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A father fights for custody of his young son after his wife unexpectedly leaves the family.

Directed by Robert Benton · 1h 45m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Custody Battle Movies of All Time

Marriage Story (2019)

Custody (2017)

Jersey Girl (2004)

I Am Sam (2001)

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

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