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We inherit so much from our parents, whether we like it or not: a pointy nose or big feet or a silly sense of humor. But the thriller Like Father Like Son explores some of the other, more dangerous traits that a young man fears he’s inherited from his father.
Like Father Like Son explores a cycle of violence with Eli (Dylan Flashner), a desperate young man who can’t seem to make ends meet. The more frustrated he becomes with his situation, the more he struggles with the violent urges that remind him of his father, Gabe (Dermot Mulroney), who’s on death row for a brutal murder that Eli witnessed. As Gabe nears his execution, Eli fights to be different—to keep his impulses under control. But when he meets Hayley (Ariel Winter), he feels an overwhelming need to protect her, no matter what.
No matter how challenging Eli’s relationship with his dad may be, he still can’t escape it. After witnessing his father’s crime, Eli wants nothing to do with Gabe—but he still finds himself traveling to the prison to try to understand his father’s crimes and his own troubling impulses. Eli is a likable guy in a terrible situation; he wants to be calm and patient and peaceful. But the more he struggles in life, the more he fears what he might have inherited from his dad.
There’s definitely something challenging and troubling about this story of inherited violence, and it sparks the age-old nature vs. nurture debate: is Eli predisposed to violent tendencies because it’s hereditary, or does he have them because of the environment in which he grew up? And does he have any chance of fighting it? And the filmmakers just add to the challenges by making the victims unsavory characters, who, in Gabe’s words, all “deserved it.”
Eventually, Eli finds a few reasons to feel hopeful: a new job, a new relationship, a chance at a normal life. But it seems as though there’s always something there in the background, waiting to rear its head. It makes for a suspenseful, dramatic, and often gruesome film—and though it might be heavier than you’d expect from a murderous thriller, it’s one that will give you something to think about.
In contemplating the root of violence instead of just reveling in the act, Like Father Like Son isn’t the same old serial killer thriller. If you don’t like movies to make you think, it’ll definitely frustrate you. But it offers a different perspective on the story.
You can follow Eli in his fight when Like Father Like Son arrives in theaters and on demand on January 31, 2025.
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