The 2017 R-rated comedy movie Father Figures is a creative road movie that follows two adult brothers as they attempt to find their biological dad. After learning that their mother had lied to them their entire lives, Kyle and Peter are determined to figure out who their father is and set off across the country to find him. Along the way, they meet various men who could potentially be their father, and the brothers bond over their various adventures, creating a tale that is both funny and, at times, heartfelt.
Though the R-rated comedy received a lackluster response from critics and audiences and was not financially successful upon release, streaming audiences are now reassessing the movie and are realizing just how funny it actually is. Father Figures‘ quirky and underrated plot is supported by a cast of A-list stars that includes seasoned comedy veterans and expert dramatic actors.
Actor |
Role |
---|---|
Owen Wilson |
Kyle Reynolds |
Ed Helms |
Peter Reynolds |
Glenn Close |
Helen |
Katt Williams |
The Hitchhiker |
J. K. Simmons |
Roland Hunt |
Terry Bradshaw |
Himself |
Christopher Walken |
Dr. Walter Tinkler |
Ving Rhames |
Rod Hamilton |
June Squibb |
Mrs. Hunt |
Harry Shearer |
Gene |
Jack McGee |
Patrick O’Callaghan |
Ryan Cartwright |
Liam O’Callaghan |
Ryan Gaul |
Sean O’Callaghan |
Ali Wong |
Ali |
Retta |
Annie |
Jessica Gomes |
Kaylani |
Katie Aselton |
Sarah O’Callaghan |
Owen Wilson As Kyle Reynolds
Date Of Birth: November 18, 1968
Actor: Owen Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas in 1968, and first got into acting by working with his friend, director Wes Anderson. Wilson’s first movie was Anderson’s directorial debut, Bottle Rocket, for which Wilson also served as writer. Following Bottle Rocket, Wilson had small roles in several films and reached even greater fame with Zoolander and The Royal Tenenbaums, which he also co-wrote. Throughout Wilson’s career, he has only grown more famous, and Wilson has starred in everything from R-rated comedies to animated children’s movies, making him one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
Bottle Rocket |
Dignan |
Armageddon |
Oscar Choice |
The Haunting |
Luke Sanderson |
Shanghai Noon |
Roy O’Bannon |
Meet the Parents |
Kevin Rawley |
Zoolander |
Hansel McDonald |
The Royal Tenenbaums |
Eli Cash |
Wedding Crashers |
John Beckwith |
Cars |
Lightning McQueen (voice) |
Night at the Museum |
Jedediah |
Marley & Me |
John Grogan |
Midnight in Paris |
Gil Pender |
She’s Funny That Way |
Arnold Albertson |
The French Dispatch |
Herbsaint Sazerac |
Haunted Mansion |
Kent |
Character: Owen Wilson plays Kyle Reynolds in Father Figures. Kyle is one of two brothers who are looking for their father after learning their mother had lied about his identity all along. Kyle is the wealthier of the two brothers, which causes friction between them.
Ed Helms As Peter Reynolds
Date Of Birth: January 24, 1974
Actor: Ed Helms was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1974, and got his first break working as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Helms rose to widespread fame when he played Andy Bernard on The Office from 2006 to 2013. From that point, Helms began starring in many comedy movies and held guest roles in many comedy TV series. Alongside The Office, Helms is likely best known for his role of Stuart Price in The Hangover franchise.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
The Daily Show |
Correspondent |
Arrested Development |
James Carr |
The Office |
Andy Bernard |
The Hangover |
Stuart Price |
Monsters vs. Aliens |
News Reporter (voice) |
Cedar Rapids |
Tim Lippe |
The Hangover Part II |
Stuart Price |
The Lorax |
The Once-ler (voice) |
We’re the Millers |
Brad Gurdlinger |
The Hangover Part III |
Stuart Price |
Vacation |
Rusty Griswold |
Tag |
Hogan “Hoagie” Malloy |
Family Switch |
Bill Walker |
Character: Ed Helms plays Peter Reynolds in Father Figures. Peter is Kyle’s brother and Helen’s son, and he wants to learn who his biological father is. Peter is divorced and has trouble being a good father to his son, Ethan.
Glenn Close As Helen Baxter
Date Of Birth: March 19, 1947
Actor: Glenn Close was born in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1947. She began acting in the theater after becoming interested in acting during her college years. Close’s first film was 1982’s The World According to Garp, and her portrayal of Alex Forrest in 1987’s Fatal Attraction brought her widespread acclaim. Following her rise to fame in the 1980s, Glenn Close has become a household name, starring in dramas such as Hillbilly Elegy, children’s movies such as 101 Dalmatians, and comedies such as Mars Attacks!, proving her ability to portray a broad variety of characters.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
​​​​​​​
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
The World According to Garp |
Jenny Fields |
The Big Chill |
Sarah Cooper |
Fatal Attraction |
Alex Forrest |
Dangerous Liaisons |
Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil |
Hamlet |
Queen Gertrude |
101 Dalmations |
Cruella de Vil |
Mars Attacks! |
First Lady Marsha Dale |
Air Force One |
Vice President Kathryn Bennett |
Tarzan |
Kala (voice) |
The Stepford Wives |
Claire Wellington |
Hoodwinked! |
Granny (voice) |
Guardians of the Galaxy |
Nova Prime Irani Rael |
Four Good Days |
Deb |
HIllbilly Elegy |
Bonnie Vance |
Brothers |
Kath Munger |
Character: In Father Figures, Glenn Close plays Kyle and Peter’s mother, Helen. Helen was sexually free in the 1970s, leading to her not knowing who her sons’ father was. At the beginning of the film, she marries Gene.
Katt Williams As The Hitchhiker
Date Of Birth: September 2, 1971
Actor: Katt Williams was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1971. Williams made his name as a comedian in the 1990s and shifted his focus to acting in the early 2000s. Katt Williams’s breakout role was Money Mike in the comedy Friday After Next. After this point, Williams continued to star in comedy films and appeared in many TV shows, including as a main cast member of Wild ‘n Out. Williams has also done numerous stand-up comedy specials.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
​​​​​​​
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
Friday After Next |
Money Mike |
Norbit |
Lord Have Mercy |
First Sunday |
Rickey |
Lonely Street |
Rodent |
The Boondocks |
A Pimp Named Slickback (voice) |
Wild ‘n Out |
HImself |
Scary Movie 5 |
Blaine Fulda |
2 Minutes of Fame |
Marques |
For the Love of Money |
Pastor G |
Character: Katt Williams appears as the Hitchhiker in Father Figures. As brothers Kyle and Peter are traveling around trying to find their biological father, they encounter Williams’s Hitchhiker who they stop to pick up. The Hitchhiker joins the brothers for part of their journey, providing more funny moments.
J. K. Simmons As Roland Hunt
Date Of Birth: January 9, 1955
Actor: J. K. Simmons was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and he began his career on Broadway before transitioning to film and television. Simmons appeared in guest roles on TV shows before getting his big break in 1997 with the roles of Vernon Schillinger in Oz and Dr. Emile Skoda in Law & Order. Since the 1990s, Simmons has become one of the most well-known movie and TV actors in Hollywood and has appeared in over 200 productions. J. K. Simmons is also recognized for his role as J. Jonah Jameson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man series and his dramatic performances in films like Whiplash and La La Land.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
​​​​​​​
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
Oz |
Vernon Schillinger |
Law & Order |
Dr. Emil Skoda |
The Cider House Rules |
Ray Kendall |
Autumn in New York |
Dr. Tom Grandy |
The Closer |
Will Pope |
Spider-Man |
J. Jonah Jameson |
Thank You For Smoking |
B. R. |
Juno |
Mac MacGuff |
Jennifer’s Body |
Mr. Wroblewski |
Megamind |
Warden (voice) |
Whiplash |
Terence Fletcher |
Zootopia |
Mayor Lionheart (voice) |
La La Land |
Bill |
Being the Ricardos |
William Frawley |
Red One |
Santa Claus |
Character: J. K. Simmons plays Roland Hunt in Father Figures. Roland Hunt is one of Kyle and Peter’s potential fathers. He is a criminal and leads to the two men nearly getting into trouble.
Terry Bradshaw As Himself
Date Of Birth: September 2, 1948
- Active Since: 1970-1983 (NFL), 1984 (Broadcasting/acting)
Actor: Terry Bradshaw Shreveport, Louisiana in 1948, and is known primarily for his career as a professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bradshaw was a quarterback for the Steelers from 1970 to 1983, and, after retiring, Bradshaw became a sports analyst. He has been on Fox NFL Sunday since 1994. Alongside his broadcasting career, Bradshaw has also made guest appearances in numerous movies and TV shows, appearing in Modern Family, Malcolm in the Middle, Failure to Launch, and more.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
​​​​​​​
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
Fox NFL Sunday |
Himself |
Everybody Loves Raymond |
Himself |
Malcolm in the Middle |
Ice Hockey Coach |
Modern Family |
Himself |
Failure to Launch |
Al |
Better Late Than Never |
Himself |
Character: Within Father Figures, Terry Bradshaw plays himself. Bradshaw is one of Kyle and Peter’s potential fathers, though he and his former teammate, Rod Hamilton, realize that he could not have been the boys’ father.
Christopher Walken As Dr. Walter Tinkler
Date Of Birth: March 31, 1943
Actor: Christopher Walken was born in New York City, New York in 1943, and, as a child, began appearing as an extra in television shows in the 1950s. Walken’s breakout role was 1971’s The Anderson Tapes, whereafter he began gaining larger roles in many films, before finding widespread recognition as Nick Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter. Christopher Walken is considered one of the best actors of all time, and he has received many awards for his numerous film and television roles.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
​​​​​​​
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
The Anderson Tapes |
The Kid |
Next Stop, Greenwich Village |
Robert |
Annie Hall |
Duane Hall |
The Deer Hunter |
Nick Chevotarevich |
The Dead Zone |
Johnny Smith |
A View to a Kill |
Max Zorin |
King of New York |
Frank White |
True Romance |
Vincenzo Coccoti |
Pulp Fiction |
Captain Koons |
Sleepy Hollow |
The Headless Horseman |
Catch Me If You Can |
Frank Abagnale Sr. |
Wedding Crashers |
William Cleary |
Hairspray |
William Turnblad |
The Jungle Book |
King Louie (voice) |
Dune: Part Two |
Shaddam IV |
Character: Christopher Walken plays Dr. Walter Tinkler in Father Figures. Tinkler is another one of Kyle and Peter’s potential fathers, and he is a veterinarian in their hometown. While with Dr. Tinkler, Kyle and Peter finally learn the truth from their mother.
Ving Rhames As Rod Hamilton
Date Of Birth: May 12, 1959
Actor: Ving Rhames was born in New York City, New York in 1959, and was interested in acting from a young age. Rhames big break came in 1991 when he appeared in the horror film, The People Under the Stairs. He then gained further recognition from the role of Marcellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction. Ving Rhames is best known for portraying Agent Luther Stickell in the Mission: Impossible franchise, having appeared in every film in the series. Rhames has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows of every genre and has one of the most recognizable voices in Hollywood.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
​​​​​​​
Movie/TV Show |
Role |
---|---|
Another World |
Czaja Carnek |
ER |
Walter Robbins |
The People Under the Stairs |
Leroy |
Pulp Fiction |
Marcellus Wallace |
Mission: Impossible |
Luther Stickell |
Con Air |
Nathan “Diamond Dog” Jones |
Bringing Out the Dead |
Marcus |
Lilo & Stitch |
Cobra Bubbles (voice) |
Dawn of the Dead |
Sergeant Kenneth Hall |
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 |
Charlie-27 |
Wendell & Wild |
Buffalo Belzer (voice) |
The Wild Robot |
Thunderbolt (voice) |
Character: In Father Figures, Ving Rhames plays Rod Hamilton, a former teammate of Terry Bradshaw. While Hamilton was not one of the potential fathers Kyle and Peter search for, it is revealed that he also dated their mother. Rhames’s character helps point out that Bradshaw could not be their father, thus sending them in a different direction.
Father Figures Supporting Cast & Characters
June Squibb As Mrs. Hunt: In Father Figures, Mrs. Hunt is Roland Hunt’s mother, the brothers’ potential grandmother. Squibb has previously appeared in films such as The Age of Innocence, Meet Joe Black, Far From Heaven, Nebraska, and many more. Squibb is also a prominent voice actor for animated films.
Harry Shearer As Gene: Harry Shearer plays the role of Helen’s new husband, Gene, in Father Figures. Shearer is a comedic actor who is known for being a cast member of Saturday Night Live and later The Simpsons. Shearer also starred in the well-known mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
Jack McGee As Patrick “Sparky P” O’Callaghan: McGee’s character Patrick O’Callaghan in Father Figures is another potential father for the Reynolds brothers. Unfortunately, they only arrive in time for his wake. Jack McGee has starred in many movies and television shows, but he is best known for starring in Rescue Me as Chief Jerry Reilly.
Ryan Cartwright As Liam O’Callaghan: Ryan Cartwright appears as Sparky P’s son, Liam O’Callaghan, in Father Figures. Cartwright is known for appearing as Vincent Nigel-Murray on the TV show Bones and as John Hooker in Mad Men.
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Ryan Gaul As Sean O’Callaghan: In Father Figures, Ryan Gaul stars as Sean O’Callaghan, one of Sparky P’s sons. Gaul has previously appeared in guest roles on various TV series such as Modern Family, 2 Broke Girls, Hart of Dixie, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, House of Lies, and more.
Ali Wong As Ali: Ali Wong plays Dr. Tinkler’s nurse, Ali, in Father Figures. Ali Wong is a well-known comedic actress and has starred in movies such as Always Be My Maybe and Birds of Prey. She is also known for her TV show, Beef, for which she won several awards.
Retta As Annie: Retta appears in Father Figures as Helen’s wedding planner. Retta is best known for playing Donna in Parks and Recreation, but she has also appeared in numerous other TV shows and movies.
Jessica Gomes As Kaylani: In Father Figures, Jessica Gomes plays Kyle’s pregnant girlfriend, Kaylani, who he later marries. Gomes is primarily a model, but she has made appearances in the films Transformers: Age of Extinction, Once Upon a Time in Venice, and Tigertail.
Katie Aselton As Sarah O’Callaghan: Katie Aselton plays Sarah O’Callaghan, Sparky P’s daughter and Peter’s love interest, in Father Figures. She is best known for her roles as Jenny in The League, Amy in Legion, and Madeleine in The Morning Show.