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Earlier today, I wrote about Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Zaslow’s column on . I’ve also decried that portrayal in Hollywood films and TV productions.
But, lately (this week, at least), I’ve noticed a trend in upcoming movie releases. And it’s a good one. Dedicated, loving, honorable fathers are back in Hollywood.

This week alone, I screened three upcoming releases in which that’s the case: “Resurrecting the Champ” (in theaters–and my review–tomorrow), “In the Valley of Elah,” and remake “3:10 to Yuma.” While I can’t post reviews here until the release dates, I can tell you that in all three, the main characters–the protagonists–are fathers who love their sons, their wives, and their families, and are men of honor and integrity. While not perfect (none of us are), they are men who recognize their faults and try to do the best for their sons and families.
It’s a breath of fresh air from an industry that regularly pumps out losers, bums, and absentee dads in a constant parade of negative father figures. While I can’t recommend “Elah” (because it defames American soldiers as wanton torturers in Iraq–more on that in another post), I loved the other two and can recommend the main characters in all three movies as role models and positive portrayals of what so many American dads are really like.
Let’s hope this new trend sticks around.