John Lithgow follows up Dexter ‘big bad’ role with softie dad role in Amy Adams romantic comedy

After he gave us chills last season as serial killer Arthur Mitchell on Dexter, John Lithgow is aiming for warm fuzzies in his upcoming film, Leap Year.

Lithgow plays daddy to Amy Adams’ lovestruck 20-something in the romantic comedy, which opens next month.

When Adams’ character gets frustrated that her boyfriend of four years still hasn’t proposed, Lithgow’s character suggests she meet her BF in Ireland, where he’s traveling on business. If she pops the question on Feb. 29, her dad tells her, tradition has it that Leap Day proposals can’t be refused.

Of course it’s not that simple, as you can see from the trailer:

Lithgow said in a brief video interview that he signed on to Leap Year because he liked the script and he adores Adams, who reminds him of his own 26-year-old daughter. “It was easy for me to play the doting father,” he said, “but she made it even easier because she’s such a sweetheart.”

Leap Year opens nationwide Jan. 8.