Come to Daddy

Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) visits his estranged father after receiving an unexpected letter from him. He hasn't seen his father for decades. Then the father grows more bitter and drunken over time. The situation gets more and more surreal.

This is a nice little black comedy horror but I do think that it could have pushed harder. It could be funnier or more brutal in filming. It's all there but the movie seems to be holding back. Norval is like that. Elijah Wood plays the wimp here and he does grow a pair over time. I would have liked him to fight harder in the motel. I expected more henchmen coming for him. I expected more from this movie.

This movie was a very fun watch. Elijah Wood does a wonderful job selling his character as a priviledged adult. It does an excellent job grasping your attention in the first act, even though it tends to slow down a lot in the second. The third act successfully ramps it back up and this is where the movie shines as the over the top gorefest it is. There are a few suspenseful scenes that will keep you invested and glued to the screen, and there are quite a few interactions between characters thay will give you some laughs to ease the tension the rest of the movie lays on you. Fun movie to watch, and definitely a good movie to recommend.

Thankfully it's not a comedy-horror as you may expect. More of a quirky thriller with moments of over the top violence. Great set-up about a son of fruity hipster appearance looking to reconnect with his brutish estranged father. Solid performance from Wood and McHattie during the first half. Last half plays out fairly typically, not particularly bad, enjoyable enough, but nothing to get excited about.

The plot seems innocuous at first, but then it gets weird then downright bizarre. This is in a good way though, as the plot twists in ways you can't imagine. It is an strange but enjoyable journey.

Judging from the reviews this is a love it or hate it film. Overall well acted, good directing and cinematography. The first half hour for me was not so interesting. Then a twist where you think you know what it's about. And then it gets weirder and weirder. It's not all gold, but more than enough to recommend a watch, just don't expect a standard Hollywood or horror movie.