Horror Movie Review: Come to Daddy (2019)

Written by Toby Harvard, directed by Ant Timpson and starring Elijah Wood, Martin Donovan, Stephen McHattie and Michael Smiley. Come to Daddy is a surreal horror comedy that begins so well but unfortunately loses its way.

Wood plays Norval Greenwood, a wannabe musician who has been estranged from his father since he was young child. He gets a letter from his father one day out of the blue asking him to come visit. So Norval heads off to his father’s secluded cabin hoping reconnect with the man.

When Norval arrives, his father (Stephen McHattie) is really welcoming and the pair make up for lost time. However, as time goes by the old man begins taunt and insult Norval until he finally has enough. The pair fight and in the struggle, Norval’s father has a heart attack and dies.

Forced to stay with the body due to lack of room at the morgue. Norval awaits his mother’s arrival but is disturbed by banging coming from inside the house. As he explores, he discovers a hidden photo album that reveals is father may not have actually been his father.

If all of that wasn’t bad enough, he then discovers a hidden hatch that leads into a bunker. This is where the noise is coming from. Just what will Norval find inside?

The surreal nature of Come to Daddy is what initially appeals. Thanks to Wood’s performance, Norval is a character that it is easy to be attached too. This makes his plight the main draw with the early scenes between him and his supposed father, good. The issues become apparent when Norval makes his hatch discovery and the movie goes off in a direction few wold have expected.

Blood will be split as Norval gets wrapped up in something very dangerous but it’s just not that interesting. Although it is at least amusing, the fish out of water forced to do unimaginable things to save himself and a father he never really knew.

Wonderfully shot, well-acted, classy music and with plenty of shocking moments, for its flaws Come to Daddy is still a recommended watch.