Romulus, My Father (2007)

55% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
66% of users liked it
(3,453 ratings)

Longtime Australian actor Richard Roxburgh makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of Raimond Gaita's acclaimed memoir, adapted for the screen by poet Nick Drake and starring Eric Bana, Franka Potente, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Despite their hardships in life, Romulus (Bana) and his beautiful… More Longtime Australian actor Richard Roxburgh makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of Raimond Gaita's acclaimed memoir, adapted for the screen by poet Nick Drake and starring Eric Bana, Franka Potente, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Despite their hardships in life, Romulus (Bana) and his beautiful wife, Christina (Potente), struggle to raise their son, Raimond (Smit-McPhee), to the best of their abilities. As the deeply moral Romulus struggles to make up for the absence and neglect of the boy's depressive mother, father and son build an unbreakable bond that is only strengthened with the passing of time. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Richard Roxburgh
Written By: Nick Drake
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 11, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Apr 22, 2008
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times
For all its sad moments, Romulus, My Father is a love story between father and son kept aloft by unalloyed admiration.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
For all that it's well made and expertly acted, the film keeps its audience at arm's length, letting viewers observe without offering an emotional portal of entrance.
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
It's not clear what we're supposed to take away from the film.
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
The darkness of the story is counterbalanced by some of the most radiantly beautiful cinematography I've seen in a long time.
Russell Edwards, Variety
Helming bow by Oz thesp Richard Roxburgh predictably leaves actors plenty of room, but the literary tone and episodic structure rob the pic of dramatic momentum.
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
Builds up an emotional head of steam that draws audiences towards it.
Brian Orndorf, eFilmCritic.com
The picture has a tranquil, gentle nature about it that's almost soothing, while offering examples of familial terror Roxburgh processes superbly...there's much to admire.
Geoff Berkshire, Metromix.com
Gaita clearly had a rough childhood, but while the tragedies of his young life pile up on screen the drama remains frustratingly inert.
Tim Grierson, L.A. Weekly
Romulus, My Father is a stacked deck determined to make you feel bad, but it rarely makes you feel anything else.
Sara Maria Vizcarrondo, Boxoffice Magazine
A beautiful mediation on the struggle of immigrants in Australia and the power of the father-son bond.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
It's fitting perhaps that a film based on Rai Gaita's memoirs should play rather like a string of memories; we don't remember the past in a linear story but as patches, chapters, moments, sometimes merely fractions of their entirety.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

Very moving, and there just never seems to be a dull moment. This is supposed to be a true story, also, which amazes me. At the end it tells you that the boy in the story grew up and did well in his life. Sheesh. If he can, anyone can because this family (this boy especially) went… More
Very moving, and there just never seems to be a dull moment. This is supposed to be a true story, also, which amazes me. At the end it tells you that the boy in the story grew up and did well in his life. Sheesh. If he can, anyone can because this family (this boy especially) went through one horrible time after another. Eric Bana did a wonderful job playing the father. I have never paid much attention to him before, but now I have seen a side of his acting that leaves me at awe. Really great movie.
Dean M

Excellent, magnificent and emotional true story of the author Raimond Gaita's childhood of impossible love that celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son. Eric Bana makes an astonishing performance as Raimond's father, Romulus, and for Richard Roxburgh in his… More
Excellent, magnificent and emotional true story of the author Raimond Gaita's childhood of impossible love that celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son. Eric Bana makes an astonishing performance as Raimond's father, Romulus, and for Richard Roxburgh in his directing debut.
Leo L

Here's an interesting movie that follows the life of Romulus and his family. As he deals with daily life, he realizes that his family is falling apart and his wife is on the verge of leaving him and all that is dear to him is his son. Eric Bana and Franka Potente stars. Worth… More
Here's an interesting movie that follows the life of Romulus and his family. As he deals with daily life, he realizes that his family is falling apart and his wife is on the verge of leaving him and all that is dear to him is his son. Eric Bana and Franka Potente stars. Worth seeing.
FanGirl B

A nice movie, but a little slow for me.
Tom S

Make sure you've got some prozac on hand after this one because you will be depressed.