History ParentalSubstitute / LiveActionFilms

* In ''FishTank'', Conor is the closest thing Mia and Tyler have to a potential father figure. Conor takes Joanne and the girls on a trip to the countryside and teaches Mia how to catch fish with her bare hands. He also encourages Mia’s dancing aspirations and lends her a camera so she can record a video for her dance audition.

* Rocky Baloba becomes this to Adonis Johnson Creed in ''Film/{{Creed}}''.

* ''Film/TheKarateKid'' movies has Mr. Miyagi act as a father figure to main character Daniel [=LaRusso=]. This is especially evident in the DistantSequel series Series/CobraKai, where it's shown that Daniel developed a love of Japanese culture and cuisine from Miyagi (who had passed away before the series begins). Daniel is also seen wondering what his late master would do in his situation and wishing the man was still alive to give him advice.

** Obadiah Stane acted as a father figure to Tony Stark aka ''Film/IronMan'' after his parent died in a "car crash" giving him advice and support... [[spoiler: so it was all the more shocking for Tony when it turned out Obadiah had paid terrorists to kill him in Afghanistan and was pretending to a NiceGuy just to seize Stark Industries]].
** Dr. Abraham Erskine to Steve Rogers in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', the good doctor notably is the emotional and guiding anchor for Cap in his early steps to becoming the living legend. Erskine the saw the greatness in Steve despite the military writing him off as a feeble weakling and is responsible for putting him up for the SuperSoldier project, [[spoiler: when Erskine is killed by a HYDRA agent Steve looks completely gutted and flies off after the assassin]].

** Harley Keene from ''Film/IronMan3'' begins to see Tony in this light since his own father left to go to a 7-Eleven to get scratchers and [[ParentalAbandonment never came home]]. Mr. Stark tries to act aloof around the kid but is fooling nobody as he goes PapaWolf when TheDragon Eric Salvin ''dares'' to try and hold Harley hostage in front of him, at the end of the movie Tony leaves a huge present at Harley's house as thanks. [[spoiler: In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' Harley even makes an appearance at Tony's funeral]].

** ''Film/AntMan1'': Downplayed compared to other examples, but Scott Lang comes to view Hank Pym in this light, especially when Scott [[NotSoDifferentRemark points out he and Hank aren't that different]] when it comes to their respective daughters. Hell, Scott and Hank's connection is still enough to inspire burning jealously from the movie's antagonist Darren Cross a.k.a. Yellow Jacket, who tries to murder Scott just for being accepted by Hank in the way [[WellDoneSonGuy he wasn't]].
** Beginning in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man gradually starts to view Tony Stark as a father figure, having admiration for him since Tony saved him as a kid in ''Film/IronMan2'', with Tony, in turn, becoming protective of him -- telling Peter to leave the battlefield after Giant-Man knocks him down. In ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'', Tony lets it slip he wants to be there for Peter since his own father Howard didn't give him the support he craved. But Tony understands his own flaws, and when Spidey tries "I just wanna be like you" after nearly endangering civilians, Tony retorts "I want you to be better." [[spoiler: By the time of ''Infinity War'', all pretense has been thrown away and when Peter starts [[DisintegratorRay disintegrating]] and desperately clings onto to Tony. When he disappears completely, [[TearJerker Tony looks down at his own hands and when he sees he isn't going with Peter]] as well, he [[ManlyTears breaks down]] weeping]]. In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the shoe is on the other foot.

** ''Film/AntMan1'': Downplayed compared to other examples, but Scott Lang comes to view Hank Pym in this light, especially when Scott points put he and Hank are NotSoDifferent when it comes to their respective daughters. Hell, Scott and Hank's connection is still enough to inspire burning jealously from the movie's antagonist Darren Cross a.k.a. Yellow Jacket, who tries to murder Scott just for being accepted by Hank in the way [[WellDoneSonGuy he wasn't]].

* ''Film/TheProfessional'': Leon becomes a father figure to Mathilda, taking her in after the death of her family, mentoring her in assassination and protecting her from Stansfield.

* ''Film/TheKarateKid'' movies has Mr. Miyagi act as a father figure to main character Daniel LaRusso. This is especially evident in the DistantSequel series Series/CobraKai, where it's shown that Daniel developed a love of Japanese culture and cuisine from Miyagi (who had passed away before the series). Daniel is also seen wondering what his late master would do in his situation and wishing the man was still alive to give him advice.

* In ''Film/IrreconcilableDifferences'', Maria the housekeeper is this for Casey Brodsky, whose parents are too wrapped up in their own problems to pay any attention to her. [[spoiler:Maria becomes Casey's legal guardian at the end of the movie.]]
* In ''Film/MidwinterNightsDream'', Lazar becomes a father figure to Jovana, the daughter of the woman he loves. He even tells his family she's his daughter.
* ''{{Film/Margarita}}'': Margarita is more of a parent to Mila than her actual parents since both are very focused on their careers. They hired her to be their nanny as a result. Mila is far closer to Margarita than either of them, pointedly [[CallingParentsByTheirName calling both by their first names]] and not "Mom" or "Dad".

*** Perhaps ''Logan'' does this trope too well between the Professor and Wolverine as it makes poor Scott's bond with Charles in the previous movies look like a joke in comparison.

** In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn fills this role in the life of young Anakin Skywalker. [[spoiler:Then Qui-Gon dies at the end, leaving Obi-Wan Kenobi to step in as a substitute Parental Substitute. Later, Obi-Wan and Anakin become more like [[HeterosexualLifePartners bro]][[HoYay thers]].]] Though, it's worth noting that perhaps in a strange, twisted way, Watto was also almost akin to a father-figure to Anakin. Almost.

** ''Film/AntMan'': Downplayed compared to other examples, but Scott Lang comes to view Hank Pym in this light, especially when Scott points put he and Hank are NotSoDifferent when it comes to their respective daughters. Hell, Scott and Hank's connection is still enough to inspire burning jealously from the movie's antagonist Darren Cross a.k.a. Yellow Jacket, who tries to murder Scott just for being accepted by Hank in the way [[WellDoneSonGuy he wasn't]].

* Henri Ducard to Bruce in ''Film/BatmanBegins'', for a few short years when the boy was in serious need of guidance. [[BrokenPedestal At the end of those years Bruce finds himself disgusted with his ruthlessness.]]
** Also Alfred.
* In ''Film/BladeRunner2049'' Lieutenant Joshi can't help but be a mother figure to protagonist K despite the latter being Replicant, when the Wallace Corporation comes hunting for K [[MamaBear she protects him]] at the cost of her life.
* Noni's hairdresser in ''Film/BeyondTheLights'', is this to some degree. She's the first person to ever actually properly comb out Noni's hair[[note]]her mother, being white, doesn't understand how to properly take care of her biracial daughter's hair[[/note]] and she also proudly watches young Noni sing for the first time in contrast to Noni's disgruntled mother. She shows up later in the movie however to remind Noni that despite Macy's blind ambition and self-interest, Macy does actually love Noni.

** Dr. Abraham Erskine to Steve Rogers in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', the good doctor notably is the emotional and guiding anchor for Cap in his early steps to becoming the living legend. Erskine the saw the greatness in Steve despite the military writing him off as a feeble weakling and is responsible for putting him up for the SuperSoldier project, [[spoiler: when Erskine is killed by a HYDRA agent Steve looks completely gutted and flies off the assassin]].

*** Perhaps ''Logan'' does this trope too well between the Professor and Wolverine as it makes poor Scott's bond with Charles on the previous movies look like a joke in comparison.

** Harley Keene from ''Film/IronMan3'' begins to see Tony in this light since his own father left to go to a 7-Eleven to get scratchers and [[ParentalAbandonment never came home]]. Mr. Stark tries to act aloof the kid but is fooling nobody as he goes PapaWolf when TheDragon Eric Salvin ''dares'' to try and hold Harley hostage in front of him, at the end of the movie Tony leaves a huge present at Harley's house as thanks. [[spoiler: In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' Harley even makes an appearance at Tony's funeral]].

** In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', and more so in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', we see that Maria Hill and Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow sees Nick Fury as a father figure and is the two agents who are most loyal to him in S.H.I.E.L.D. [[spoiler: When Nick Fury seemly dies in ''Winter Soldier'', both Widow and Hill become uncharacteristically stricken with sadness to the point of crying. Also, during the FinalBattle when Natasha electrocutes herself, Fury [[PapaWolf runs over to her with concern]], showing care goes both ways]].

* ''Film/TreeMan'': Some of the people who help Francois in selling trees mention how he's like a father to them.

** In ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', the grown-up John admits as much to the T-850.

* In ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', the T-800 Terminator serves as a father-figure for John Connor. Lampshaded when Sarah Conner notes that the killing machine is a better father for John than any of her old "boyfriends".
** In ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'', "Pops" Terminator becomes a father figure to Sarah herself.