A reunion between an estranged father and his son goes wrong in Come to Daddy. The directorial debut from Ant Timpson, Come to Daddy is an off the wall dark comedic thriller starring Elijah Wood.
With an eccentric cast of characters, the movie’s a journey into how far someone goes to earn his dad’s love, no matter little he knows of him.
Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) never really knew his father. A supposed well known figure in the music business, Norval grew up only hearing stories about his father from his mom.
When he receives a letter from his estranged father, Norval takes the first flight out of LA and hops on a bus to meet him.
The letter was an invitation to his fathers cabin off the coast of Oregon in the fictional city of Port Hope. This backdrop introduces a feeling of isolation prevalent throughout the film.
There’s a distinct difference between Norval and his dad (Stephen McHattie). His dad, a low brow, heavy drinking brute who wants to be anywhere but there. He appears to be cut from a different breed.
Norval, a soft spoken, quirky looking introvert, is someone you would picture when you hear the words ‘hipster chic’. Despite his best efforts to impress him, his dad could not care less.
As the trip beings to sour, Norval confronts his dad. This leads to a fight where [suddenly] his dad takes a fall, passing away. Norval now must face the aftermath of this failed reunion as he is alone again.
A wave of emotions begin to overwhelm him as he starts hearing noises throughout the house. Norval finds himself in a secret basement and it’s here, where he finally meets his real father.
Locked in chains, Brian Greenwood (Martin Donovan) finally meets his son again. This is where the movie completely changes gears. The change of pace comes quick and abruptly.
Brian has a dark history with the introduction of Jethro (Michael Smiley), a long haired, greasy fellow who is torturing poor dad.
Balancing characters in a film like this is difficult. Even with Elijah’s solid performance, the slow burn of the first half drags longer than needed.
The second half seems like its own story, as new characters were odd enough to warrant more time.
I kept wanting to know more about Jethro and where he came from. And even more about the female body builder and her specific profession. The film keep their back story a mystery which felt like a disservice to their performances.
In motley fashion, the film jumps between moods but never truly finds its footing.
Come to Daddy is equal parts heart warming comfort and parts lewd carnage. Remember to leave your expectations at the door. Expecting an oddball comedy or tense thriller will only leave you disappointed.
The dry humor is sometimes too subtle, missing its mark.
The violence is sudden and sadistic. It slaps you across the face, forcing you to feel as uncomfortable as Norval must feel stuck in his situation.
The lengths Norval goes through to protect his estranged father can be confusing. He doesn’t argue, he just follows along like a frightened puppy.
Despite those extremes, the movie does its job in establishing just how weak-willed Norval truly is. He’s always willing to say yes, no matter what the outcome may be.
We all want to be loved. We all want to fit-in. Although Come to Daddy is a tale about a son and father, it’s a dark reminder on the importance of belonging.
The film does this by showing you what someone is capable of when blind emotion takes over. No matter the consequences.
