6 Best Single Father Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 17, 2026

Raising a child alone is overwhelming and quietly transformative. The Pursuit of Happyness has a father battling homelessness for an internship, Fatherhood has a widowed dad raising his infant daughter, and Big Daddy has an immature bachelor taking custody of a boy. About a Boy, I Am Sam and Kramer vs. Kramer round out the six.

Fatherhood (2021)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A widowed father faces the overwhelming challenges of raising his infant daughter completely on his own.

Directed by Paul Weitz · 1h 49m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Big Daddy (1999)

TMDB ★ 6.4

An immature bachelor adopts a young boy to impress his girlfriend, with predictably chaotic results.

Directed by Dennis Dugan · 1h 33m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

TMDB ★ 8.0

Earns its ending through everything that comes before it.

Directed by Gabriele Muccino · 1h 57m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Angel Studios · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

About a Boy (2002)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A shallow bachelor's unlikely friendship with a lonely boy finally forces him to grow up.

Directed by Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz · 1h 41m · 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 ★ 7.6

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

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.7

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 Single Father Movies

Fatherhood (2021)

Big Daddy (1999)

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

About a Boy (2002)

I Am Sam (2001)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

You might also like

6 Best Layoffs and Unemployment Movies

50 Movies to Watch Before You Turn 30

8 Best Movies of 2006

8 Best Movies of 1979

6 Best Oscar Best Picture Winners of the 1970s

50 Best Movies of the 2000s