According To ‘Father Figures,’ Sex Before Marriage Is the Key to a Happy Marriage

Father Figures” is director Lawrence Sher’s good-hearted comedy where a constant reliance on plot twists substitutes for layered characterization. Twin brothers, Peter and Kyle, gather at their mother’s wedding (played by Glen Close). Peter, as played by Ed Helms, is a boring but successful urologist. He has an ex-wife and a son who rather be anywhere than with dad. Peter does not care for his fun-loving brother Kyle, and his son’s preference for uncle over dad doesn’t help.

For a fraternal twin, Kyle looks less like Peter than their mother’s new husband played with a touch of disconnection by Harry Shearer. Unable to find an actor who looked even distantly related, the filmmakers substituted Owen Wilson. Brother Kyle is fun, optimistic, generous, and attractive. He has a gorgeous pregnant girlfriend. He holds no real job while the source of his wealth rests solely on royalties stemming from his surfer appearance on the logo for bottles of sun lotion.

Annoyed, Peter retreats to watch reruns of an old police procedural. The prime suspect in this episode sports a large birthmark on his forehead, the very same birthmark seen on old photos of the man identified as the long deceased father of Peter and Kyle. When mom is confronted, she confesses that this dad is a phony and drops a bomb regarding the truth of their paternity.

Thus begins a road trip to find Dad. But it never is as easy as it seems and prospective dads continue to pile up as the twins pursue one lead after another, one misstep after another, until it all is revealed at the end.  And with each suspected father, they have the unwelcome benefit of learning more about their mother’s wilder youth.

“What makes a real family” is the movie’s overriding theme. But it gets lost in the movie’s episodic structure, which lends itself to diversions and odd dramatic conceits. Did Peter just sleep with his half sister? Is that black hitchhiker tied up in their backseat more than he pretends to be? Successful gags are mixed with clunky misfires that try too hard.  A cat joke about oversized testicles stops the narrative dead just the story rushes to a conclusion.  

Overall the film boasts a good cast and they serve their roles earnestly. Ed Helm is convincing in his bland way while Owen is constant as the cheery “twin”. J.K. Simmons has fun with the dark side of fatherhood.  All the actors bring just enough effort to their roles to punch whatever light emotional moment is required at the time with sincere appeal. But it is Glenn Close who brings a much needed authority and focus to the brothers’ quest.

“Father Figures” is a kind-hearted entertainment with a fun cast but suffers from too many twists, too many dads, too much plot and not enough real observation of fraternal twins and their need to find their real birth father.

Father Figuresopens Dec. 22 in theaters nationwide.