Aidan Goatley: 10 Films With My Dad Review 2012

Here we have one of the less emotionally taxing ‘About my dad’ shows of this year. Rather than pulling furiously on the heartstrings, Goatley guides us through an hour of gentle storytelling about his relationship with his dad, which consisted mainly of watching films together. He uses ten of those films to explore the value in the father/son bond.

It’s a neat little premise and it will certainly appeal to film buffs, hearing a critical savaging of Avatar alongside enthusing about cult classics like Went The Day Well. The personal stuff is more of a mixed bag, there are some charming anecdotes and a few funny lines, but the show feels a bit limited by its subject as he skims over some potentially interesting topics raised by the films to focus on childhood tales of his dad. Goatley is an engaging and charming presence though, and it's clear the audience are always keen to hear more.

Of course something like this is always going to have a happy ending, so it’s testament to Goatley’s storytelling abilities that knowing this doesn’t blunt the emotional impact of the finale, which will leave even the hardest hearts feeling quite fuzzy. Perfectly enjoyable light entertainment, but there’s no risk it will leave you rolling in the aisles.