Theres a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I could keep em all away from you
Those are the wise fatherly words of Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird that exemplify the protective role dads are given in films. Sometimes they live up to this role and sometimes they dont but with every fatherly film the importance of dad is reinstated either as a good supportive guy or a damaging menace, estranged from his family. The hold a father figure can have over their child provides endless scope for drama and conflict. From the late eighties onwards parental roles were shifting slightly and single dads were all the rage. Even today fathers are often portrayed as widowed or deserted, proving that their flawed and damaged ways arent necessarily their own fault. When dads are good they also tend to be so ridiculously handsome that in the real world your friends would be flocking home from school to catch a glimpse of him. Awkward. When dads are bad bad theyre dumpy, scary and probably a bit pervy. Lastly there are the types of dads that are just trying to get it right: who struggle for the right balance between parent and friend, mother and father, role model and mass murderer. Click within to for five dads you wish were yours and five youre thankful arent related to you in any way.