For this month’s streaming article I decided to feature films and television programs that depict men in different roles. By this, I mean men who are more than stereotypical “kings of their castles,” “macho bad boys,” or corporate billionaires.

I went looking for men I admire because of their strengths and vulnerabilities. They are accountable when they mess up, even if it is with the best of intentions.

I know so many wonderful men who are just like these men, and I’m so glad film studios are finally giving men permission to be perfectly imperfect.

Somewhere in Queens (2022) – In his directorial debut, Ray Romano stars in this film about an Italian family in Queens. He is also co-writer of the screenplay sharing credit with Mark Stegemann. He is supported by an excellent cast, Laurie Metcalfe, Jacob Ward, Sadie Stanley, Tony Lo Bianco, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Jennifer Esposito. Leo Russo (Romano) and his wife Angelo (Metcalfe) have one child, a teenager nicknamed “Sticks” (Ward) who is quiet and withdrawn, but an outstanding basketball player. Leo introduced Sticks to the sport of basketball as a way for them to bond and interact. He hoped it would help Sticks feel more comfortable around people.

Angela is about a year past her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. She’s understandably anxious about the future and unsure of how to deal with her “new normal.”

Leo works at the family business. Attendance at Sunday family dinners is mandatory, and his family members are never shy about expressing their opinions on every subject.

Leo wants to fix everything for his family. He‘s been taught that It’s his role as a man. He wants to give Angela the ability to be the person she was before her cancer diagnosis. He wants to give his son the opportunities he didn’t get growing up. He’s also dealing with his own mid-life crisis. Leo never really wanted to be an electrician, but it was what he was expected to do. Convincing his son to use his abilities to get a scholarship to a good school becomes his obsession. He even offers to pay Stick’s girlfriend, Dani (Stanley) money not to break up with Sticks until after his basketball tryout at prestigious university in Philadelphia.

Along the way, Leo has to decide if its’s appropriate to push his loved ones to want the same things he wants even if he believes he has their best interests at heart. Will his role as the head of the household be diminished if he can’t “fix” everything. 

I loved every minute of this film and I think you will, too. This film scored a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch it on Hulu, ROW8, Prime Video, Vudu or Apple TV on your Roku device.

Bosch Legacy (2022) If you watched Bosch or read the book series by Michael Connelly about Detective Harry Bosch, you will know that Harry Bosch is a complex man. He’s a strong male character and perennial rule-breaker who also has a soft side when it comes to his daughter and the other people he cares about. In Bosch Legacy, Harry (played again by Titus Welliver) retires from the LAPD and becomes a private investigator. His daughter, Maddie (Madison Lintz) is a patrol officer for the LAPD. Welliver manages to make his character manly without being overly macho. As a private investigator, Harry is free to worry more about the people he works for than the job itself. It’s well written, suspenseful, and the good guys might not always win, but they make a difference. Bosch Legacy is available on Amazon Prime and Freevee.

Unforgotten (2015-present) This police procedural drama from Britain stars Nicola Walker as DCI Cassie Stuart and Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunhil “Sunny” Khan. They investigate cold cases when new evidence surfaces. Stuart and Khan have the daunting task of shifting through old evidence and dealing with families who have been devastated by tragedy and the lack of closure. They often step in at the worst times when the victims’ families are angry and blame the police for failing to solve their cases. Stuart and Khan remain respectful and show great concern for the victims and their families. They are also great friends who support each other. Khan’s character “Sunny” isn’t threatened by having a female boss. He’s also a single dad caring for two daughters after his wife leaves the family to be with another man. Unforgotten is available to stream on Amazon Prime. You can also stream the first four seasons on MASTERPIECE when you watch with PBS Passport.

Clickbait (2021) is a series on NETFLIX starring Adrian Grenier, Zoe Kazan, and Betty Gabriel. Nick Brewer (Grenier) is a happily married man with two sons. He’s a physical therapist committed to helping others. While riding his bike to work, Nick is abducted. He later appears on social media holding signs which identify him as a predator who mistreats women. At five million clicks, Nick’s captors promise he will be executed for his crimes. Is this a hoax or is Nick really in danger?  His sister Pia (Kazan) and his wife Sophia (Gabriel) must re-examine everything they know about Nick. We see Nick in flashbacks gleaning only snippets of information about his character. The series is a roller coaster with twists and turns and a surprise ending worth every minute of your time.