COME TO DADDY

Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, 2019, 95 minutes, Colour.

Elijah Wood, Stephen Mc Hattie, Garfield Wilson, Madeline Sami, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Simon Chin, Ona Grauer.

Directed by Ant Simpson.

What starts out as a reunion between father and long lost son, turns into a melodrama with some touches of violent horror.

While the story has an American setting, was filmed near Vancouver, has Irish finance, it was written and directed by a New Zealander, Ant Simpson, who specialised in some horror films.

This reviewer had started to review Come to Daddy but was interrupted by the coronavirus. On resuming the review sometime later, it seemed best to start again. Realising that there had been quite a twist in the middle of the film, watching the first part again was a surprise. Not so much a surprise in what was presented but the discovery of the clever ambiguity in the set up, the son visiting his father, the father’s long absence from the family, his way of dealing with his son, finding out about his life, his relationship with his mother, a test about the son’s claiming that he was a friend of Elton John, an eeriness about the relationship. It was surprising to listen to the dialogue in the light of the twist – very clever..

The success of the film rests on the shoulders of Elijah Wood as the son, alienated from his father, to receive a letter from him and making a long journey to meet him. It is quite easy to identify with Elijah Wood in most films, seeing from his point of view, feeling from his point of view. And, Stephen McHattie is intense as the father, enigmatic in his relating to his son, quite grotesque at times.

The film shifts tone with the twist, quite unexpected. There are some interesting cameos by Garfield Wilson as a seriously odd police officer who judges characters by the colour of their eyes. There is a sympathetic funeral director.

But there are also some criminals who threaten, Martin Donovan as an ambiguous presence, Michael Smiley as something of a deranged and violent Irishman. It is up to a Elijah Wood, timid in himself, fearful of the violence, to come out of himself, take tough stands, try to redeem the situation.

And, at the end, a quiet moment which gives new meaning to Come to Daddy.

1. The gentle title? Belying what was to follow? The letter from Norval’s father? The wrong father? The actual father?
2. The American settings, filmed in Canada? International production? New Zealand background of the director?
3. Elijah Wood as Norval? Age, appearance, haircut? Arriving on the bus? Across the sand and forest? The lavish house? His background, the disappearance of his father, care for his mother, response to the letter, travelling to his father? Expectations? His explanation of his drinking problem, thoughts of suicide? Small, quiet, gentle?
4. The initial encounter with his father, his appearance, suspicions, responding to the situation? The camera, destroying it? The discussions about friendships with Elton John? Lies? The meal? The wine? The father seeming suspicious? Norval and his being wary? The discussions, moments of conflict, his father coming with the axe, collapsing and dying?
5. Reflection on Norval’s encounter with his alleged father in retrospect – and all the ironies as Gordon parried all the enquiries, protecting himself?
6. The death, Norval’s reaction, the police, strange behaviour, believing Norval, not having “raisin eyes”? Gladys, the coroner, businesslike, friendly, supportive? Returning with the body, carrying him to the house? Her card? Norval drinking, calling her in the night, her response? Hanging up? Her advice about talking to the dead, telling them what they could not hear in real life?
7. Norval with the body, the strange sounds from the basement, his drinking? Finding the opening, going down, discovering his real father after looking in the photo album?
8. Brian, the torture, his writing the letter? Norval and his reaction to his father? The truth about what it happened, the kidnapping of the Thai woman, the money keeping Norval and his mother in luxury in Beverly Hills? Norval’s reaction?
9. The associates, dandy, the toilet, the confrontation, the fight and its brutality, Norval and the wrapping, the incessant beating, Dandy and his being smothered?
10. Jethro, Brian’s warning, sinister and Irish? Bryan urging Norval to kill Jethro? The fight, Jethro leaving, threatening to return?
11. Brian, the excrement needle, using it to pick the lock, failing, listening the chain, Norval taking Brian into the house, out into the sand and rocks? Jethro’s return, Norval hiding in the boot of the car?
12. Jethro, the motel, Precious, Norval trying to get into the motel, through the room with the swingers, confronting Jethro, Jethro stabbing him, through his cheeks? Precious, her initial hostile reaction, helping Norval?
13. Jethro in the car, the crash, Norval following him, Jethro saying his mother was a prostitute, Norval stabbing his wound, his death?
14. Norval’s return, Bryan losing consciousness, Norval and his questions – and the final reaching out of hand on hand?
15. The mixture of comedy, mystery, thriller, horror?