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COME TO DADDY: Review | Tribeca Film Festival 2019

Stephen McHattie and Elijah Wood in “Come To Daddy” | Photo Credit: Jamie Leigh Gianopoulos

Norval’s (Elijah Wood) life has been, to put it lightly, difficult. Currently living home with his mother, the troubled young man is coming off alcohol-related struggles. So when he receives an unexpected letter from his estranged father requesting a visit, Norval catches a bus up to his dad’s secluded and scenic waterfront home. Maybe reconnecting with his father will give Norval the emotional fulfillment he’s been lacking. Before long, though, he notices something off about his dad, an uneasy feeling triggered by inappropriate comments and a possible over-dependence on booze. Norval quickly realizes that his hope of father/son bonding is doomed. Instead of a family reunion, he finds himself in waking nightmare. 

Cynical yet clever, “Come To Daddy” is one of the craziest films I’ve seen this year. Elijah Wood rides a wave of familial chaos, regrets and secrets in a dark comedy that hijacks its audience and brilliantly lures them into what must be the most deranged narrative I’ve ever seen. Going from one sadistic twist to the next, “Come To Daddy” keeps its finger on the trigger of horror hijinks that in turn lead to bigger and darker laughs. So much, it kinda makes you question your own levels of sanity. But that’s part of the fun with this film… As wrong as it is to indulge and enjoy this harsh parody of how fucked up a family can be, there’s a deeper message of discovery and acceptance no matter what!

Genre: Dark Comedy, Thriller
Director: Ant Timpson
Screenwriter: Toby Harvard
Producers: Mette-Marie Kongsved, Laura Tunstall, Daniel Bekerman, Katie Holly, Emma Slade, Toby Harvard
Executive Producers: Tim Headington, Lia Buman, Ant Timpson, Hussain Amarshi
Co-Producers: Alex Ordanis, Jacqueline Nguyen
Cast: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Madeleine Sami, Simon Chin
#ComeToDaddyMovie
 
 
Tribeca Film Festival 2019