(Credit: Alamy)

Not every film that finds its way into Netflix’s top ten is loud, high-stakes, or trending on TikTok. Some slip in quietly, carried by word of mouth, family group chats, and that one person who swears that you will like this film. About My Father is one of those films. Currently sitting at number seven on the global charts, this modest comedy starring Robert De Niro is winning over audiences who want something familiar, funny, and surprisingly tender.

Directed by Laura Terruso and co-written by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, the film is a semi-autobiographical take on culture clash, generational differences, and immigrant parenting. It is not here to impress critics or chase festival buzz. What it does instead is offer something many viewers quietly crave: an honest story about family that does not talk down to them.

De Niro plays Salvo, a proud Sicilian-American father in the film. He is someone who has worked his entire life running a hair salon and raising his son with discipline, love, and a fair amount of bluntness. His son Sebastian, played by Maniscalco himself, is preparing to propose to his girlfriend, who comes from a wealthy and very American family. When Salvo tags along for a weekend with her parents, everything from lobster dinners to emotional boundaries is up for negotiation.

The setup is familiar. A working-class immigrant father meets upper-class in-laws. But the film never leans into tired tropes. What stands out is how it refuses to mock either side. Salvo is not a punchline. He is proud, suspicious, deeply loyal, and filled with the kind of emotional intelligence that rarely comes with soft words. Robert De Niro plays him with quiet precision, letting every stare and pause do the talking.

About My Father draws most of its humour from the small things. The way Salvo refuses to wear shorts, his confusion at fancy social customs, or his tendency to say what everyone else is too polite to admit. But underneath the laughter, there is a clear emotional thread. The film is not just about differences. It is about love that looks different depending on where you come from, and how hard it can be to say “I am proud of you” when you were raised on survival.

It also does something many family comedies forget to do: it listens. The film gives space to all its characters. The girlfriend’s family may be wealthy and formal, but they are not villains. Their discomfort feels as real as Salvo’s scepticism. The film understands that awkwardness is universal and often funny when it is not happening to you.

Robert De Niro has made sure that his performance anchors the film. There are no dramatic speeches, no big transformations, and no forced sentiment. Instead, there is presence. He listens more than he speaks, and when he does speak, it matters. It is a reminder that real connection often happens in the quietest moments, when no one is trying too hard.

About My Father is not groundbreaking cinema, but it is deeply comforting. It feels like sitting at your family’s dining table after a long week. Messy, warm, occasionally annoying, but always filled with love. And maybe that is why it is climbing the charts, because people do not just want to be entertained. Sometimes, they want to feel seen.