10 Movie Dads Who Will Convince You That Unconditional Love Is Real

Warning: Ugly crying is a distinct possibility when watching these dads on screen

10. Professor Henry Jones - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Paramount

Does anything demonstrate the love between a father and son better than the father and son bickering constantly? Yes, this scene. Prof. Jones's reaction to seeing his son go over a cliff will break your heart, their hug will mend it, and then watching Marcus try to figure it all out like the math lady will make you forget it was ever broken to begin with. But also, the bickering helps.

9. Daniel Hillard - Mrs. Doubtfire

20th Century Fox

Ok, so, is he the most responsible father? No. But I mean, he actually dresses up as a older Scottish woman and becomes their nanny just because he wants to stay involved in their lives. That's dedication right there. That's love.

8. Daniel - Love Actually

Universal Pictures

Daniel is just the first dad on this list that reminds everyone that a dad doesn't need to share your DNA to be your dad. Daniel is his stepson Sam's life and love coach, biggest fan, guardian, and best friend, and if that's not the kind of dad that'll convince you of unconditional love, then I don't know if anything ever can.

7. Arthur Weasley - the Harry Potter series

Warner Bros.

Let's face it, Arthur Weasley is the father or main fatherly figure to half of the good characters in the Harry Potter films (the books had more characters, so maybe like, a third?). He's obviously dad to the Weasley clan (aka ~ half of the good characters in the films - so many red heads), but then there's Harry too. Arthur does many of the things that James (and later Sirius) would have done for Harry if they could, from guarding the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries to being one of his escorts to the Burrow in Deathly Hallows Pt. 1. Bonus: he's the kind of dad who asks "How'd it go?" when you come back from an adventure (one that was maybe a little dangerous).

6. John Quincy Archibald - John Q

New Line Cinema

Though taking hostages in a hospital may seem extreme, over the course of the film you see that John isn't a bad man or a vicious man. He's a good man who is desperate to save his son. He is willing to literally take a bullet to let his son live, because he loves his son more than life.

5. Mac MacGuff - Juno

Fox Searchlight Pictures

The first time I saw Juno, after hearing Mac say "I thought you were the kind of girl who knew when to say when" I thought, *ouch! I guess her dad isn't going to be supportive* but within minutes I was proven wrong. Even though he's disappointed in her, he steps up and helps Juno through it all because here's the thing about love, "good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your ass."

4. The Terminator - Terminator 2: Judgement Day

TriStar Pictures

1) He'd do anything to protect John

2) He learns about slang and pop culture stuff from John

3) He does things in public that John thinks are inappropriate

Bonus: There's some sexual tension between The Terminator and John's mom

I mean, can you get any closer to the definition of a father? Now, you may argue that The Terminator, a machine, can't prove unconditional love but to that I say *through sniffles* he knows now why humans cry *bursts into tears*

3. Ted Kramer - Kramer vs. Kramer

Columbia Pictures

The most beautiful part of the relationship between Ted and his son, Billy, is how hard Ted tries to keep his son protected from the emotional pain of his mom leaving and later of his mom winning custody (and so, in a way, of Billy losing his dad). This scene is one of my favorite in the entire film because Ted spends the entire scene convincing Billy that going to live with his mother is the best thing, even though you know it's tearing Ted apart. He has every opportunity to say something to turn Billy against his mom in the scene but he doesn't. He loves his son so much that all he wants is for Billy to be happy, even if he himself isn't.

2. Chris Gardner - The Pursuit of Happiness

Columbia Pictures

Chris Gardner's story, both the real story and the film, is all about how hard a father will work to provide for his kid(s). Every time Chris holds his son or tries to comfort him, you feel how much he cares and wants to give him the world. And it definitely doesn't hurt that the duo are played by real life father and son, Will and Jaden Smith, because not only are the two adorable together, but their performances have an extra level of believability.

1. Dad (James Lake) - About Time

Universal Pictures

I walked into this movie thinking it would be just another movie about Rachel McAdams falling in love with a time traveler, but it turns out that the story at the core of About Time is about fatherhood. Tim's father James is like a combination of so many dad's on this list: he's funny, he's his son's biggest supporter, he's his best friend, he's the kind of dad that gives you a wink and a thumbs up after you come back from an adventure, and most importantly, there is nothing more important to him or more beloved by him, than his family. Their relationship is what gives this movie heart, and what makes it one of my favorite films.

Honorable Mention: Yondu Udonta - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

"He may have been your father boy, but he wasn't your daddy."

Happy Father's Day to those celebrating it today!