Come to Daddy (2020)
Like the dynamics of the father-son relationship at the heart of its story, Come to Daddy has layers waiting to be peeled back and revealed; each one rife with surprises and secrets, drama, and more than a few oddities. Nothing is ever as it seems in Come to Daddy, something that the deft filmmakers here fully understand and play with, turning and twisting the plot on its head and ratcheting up the suspense and action in ways that are equally absurd and surprisingly relatable. As far as unique indie films go, Come to Daddy hits all of its marks.
The setup for the film is quite uncomplicated, allowing the creeping tension to begin building right from the get-go. Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) receives a letter from his estranged-father who he hasn't seen for over thirty years to come out to visit him at his secluded beach-side house. Immediately upon arriving, Norval takes note of the less-than enthusiastic welcome he receives from his dad (Stephen McHattie). It has been so long that the memories each has for the other are fleeting at best. Perhaps it will just take some time for both to adjust. However, when Norval tries to bond with him by telling him that he is a recovering alcoholic, his dad responds by pouring a glass of wine up to the brim in front of him. And so, Norval begins to question why his dad asked him to come out in the first place. Maybe it was just a drunken moment that his dad had in sending the letter that he no longer remembers. The tension between the two only grows, but to go any further would ruin much of the fun.
Directed and written by newcomers, Ant Timpson and Toby Harvard, respectively, Come to Daddy is all about defying expectations. It has numerous tonal shifts that would not work nearly as well in less capable hands. However, here, the changes work and actually build upon what has been laid down before in the odd logic of the film. There is some surprisingly brutal action/violence that adds to the escalating chaos of Norval's predicament. Wood and McHattie are both fantastic and their tense chemistry perfectly encapsulates the uncomfortable father-son dynamic. The other actors in smaller roles are all great too, providing alternating bouts of comedy, tension and drama.
Part of what makes Come to Daddy so great is how much Timpson is able to pull out of the film's seemingly simple story. The film is actually quite clever in both its dramatic moments and in its overall narrative, which is only realized fully at the end. Come to Daddy takes full advantage of its indie status, relying on the skill of its players - director, writer, cast and crew - to make a film that is unexpected and great fun, and one that is therefore definitely worth a watch.
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