Not all dads are built the same. That’s why we’ve broken down this what-to-watch Father’s Day guide—streaming now on Stan—into five distinct categories, covering a wide variety of dads and their different viewing needs.
MacGruber (for the dad who wants to have a bloody good laugh)
Evoking the bombastic blockbusters of the ‘80s and the ludicrous action TV shows of the ‘90s, the excellent Will Forte gives the old-school idea of an all-American hero a loving wedgie with his patriotism-powered creation MacGruber. He was a regular presence on SNL before leading a 2010 film with an insanely OTT ending. A decade later, MacGruber and co. returned with this pull-no-punches series that will shoot a ballistic missile at the funny bones of dads who love Forte’s shtick.
If MacGruber’s comedy is a bit too pisstake-y for pa, Stan’s also got some certified classic rib-ticklers like 1984’s one-of-a-kind phenomenon Ghostbusters and 1988’s legendary comedy-of-errors A Fish Called Wanda.
The Iron Claw (for the dad who wants to have a bloody good cry)
Don’t let the muscle-bulging bravado of professional wrestling fool your dad: this one elbow drops the heart. Zac Efron gives a career-high performance as the lead in this biopic about the Von Erich brothers, young men became legends in the ring before a string of freakish tragedies cut their dreams short. Amongst the stacking sorrow of the situations and pointed observations of the men’s toxic father figure, there’s also tender moments of brotherhood that play the heartstrings like a mandolin. “This film has a hard-fought sense of optimism,” Luke Buckmaster reassured in his review, “but it’s there, inspiring in a poignant way.”
If dad’s got a few more tears to spear after that, Stan’s also got affectionate gem Nowhere Special—a touching story of a terminally ill single father using his final days to find his boy a new family—as well as Oscar nominee Sing Sing—an authentic drama about a prison theatre group starring Colman Domingo and a cast of actors who have been incarcerated.
The Beekeeper (for the dad who just wants to turn his brain off for a few hours)
This movie’s dumb. That’s an endorsement. Jason Statham’s a master of keeping a straight face through the stupidest of premises (there’s a reason they adopted him into the Fast & Furious family) and in David Ayer’s 2024 action thriller, he very seriously calls himself a Beekeeper (AKA a covert op badass) who protects the hive (society, I guess) from the queen bee (I dunno, man… the villain perhaps?). It’s so silly, it’s fun. Plus, Statham punches good.
If that’s a few carriages too far down the dumb-dumb train, there are more dignified options on Stan to consider like James Cameron’s classic robo-thriller The Terminator and George Miller’s Academy Award-winning apocalypse action bonanza Mad Max: Fury Road.
Horizon: An American Saga + Kevin Costner’s The West (for the Yellowstone dad)
The Yellowstone dad will have already monstered through all five seasons (twice) of the American TV phenomenon on Stan. With Kevin Costner’s exit from the show, now’s a great time for you and dad to catch part one of his epic Western passion project, Horizon: An American Saga, as well as historical docuseries Kevin Costner’s The West, diving into how this lawless land shaped the country.
If the Yellowstone dad would rather watch more modern-day Westerns, consider binging excellent FX show Justified—all six seasons are streaming on Stan. Timothy Olyphant landed an Emmy nomination for the role of a US Marshal in rural Kentucky and basically secured him sheriff roles for the rest of his career. Hell or High Water also comes highly recommended, a smart and stirring heist thriller from the director of recent release Relay and written by Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
The Godfather trilogy (for your dad’s dad)
If you’re also celebrating your dad’s dad, also known as your granddad, consider watching a cinema juggernaut he may have caught on the big screen when it first released (and one that also has ‘father’ in the title). In this case, catch two of them: Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 mobster masterpiece The Godfather and 1974 time-hopping follow-up The Godfather: Part II are streaming on Stan. And if you must, 1990’s The Godfather: Part III is also available.
If your dad’s dad is also a Yellowstone dad, three helpings of Clint Eastwood would go down a treat with Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy streaming on Stan (A Fistful Of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More & The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). You’ll also find a treasure trove of James Bond flicks on Stan, which will cover many generations of dads.
