Fathers and Daughters

Russell Crowe stars as a father suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who's struggling to raise his daughter Katie after the death of his wife; while Amanda Seyfried plays the adult Katie, fighting her own demons as she begins a new relationship. Two equally unrealistic and sombre storylines unravel with maximum melodrama. The reliance on mawkish plot devices and clunky dialogue ("We live in The United States of Money!", Crowe exclaims at one point) distracts from any point the film is trying to make. Both leads give committed performances, but soon drown in overdramatic subplots and platitudes about love. The supporting cast is equally stranded, with Diane Kruger decidedly one dimensional as Katie's vindictive aunt, and Aaron Paul out of his depth as Seyfried's love interest. There are moments when Fathers and Daughters tugs at the heartstrings, but they are too few and far between. What should have been a relatable family drama ends as a slushy, misguided mess.