When my daughter was born, there was a strange moment when a delivery nurses told me that I could push the cart holding the baby to the recovery room. Looking down at the tiny child who was coping with a major adjustment in lifestyle, I was hit with a strange fear that I should have some sort of license to push this cart. Why would anyone trust me with a baby? The child was delivered to the recovery room without incident, so I didn’t screw up that part of her life. But it is always a weird thought of what qualifies us to be parents. This turns into a “why did my parents think they should raise a child?” We go through hours of training and a serious test to get a driver’s license and can do nothing to have a kid? Think of how much you have to do to adopt a dog or cat from a rescue shelter. Daddy is about a future where men must get license to have a child. Is it a good idea?
After being quizzed by what sounds like an A.I. voice from a monitor device, Jeremy (Jono Sherman) is invited to attend Department of Procreation’s Fatherhood Development Retreat. This is how one gets certified to be able to have children in this alternate universe. He is joined by three other men for this Retreat that seems to be set up as the final test to get the precious approval. Jeremy, Sebastian (Chicago Fire‘s Yuriy Sardarov), Andrew (Neal Kelley), and Mo (Wecrashed‘s Pomme Koch) are driven by a limo to a house in the woods of the high mountains. The hopefuls turn over their cellphones to chauffer and told that the test will begin shortly. Except it doesn’t seem to be happening. There’s no government official at the house. There’s not even a device with a voice informing them to what’s expected. They’re just stuck in the house and waiting. There is a tiny baby doll left behind. The men start to get freaked out that they’re being secretly watched and graded. Maybe even the baby doll is rigged to observe. They act like the child is real to score points – if there are points to be scored. Days into their stay, nobody wants to leave the house for fear that they’ll never get a second chance. Ally (Doctor Odyssey‘s Jacqueline Toboni) show up at the door after being in a car accident, the foursome flips out. First, they think she’s a stranger and then they believe she’s part of the test. Will their growing paranoia get the best of them?
Daddy is a brilliant science fiction film that deals with an easily accessible dystopia. Think of all the weirdness going on in certain states. Only having certain people allowed to be parents can easily be next on their agenda as they meddle with our lives. The four actors playing the aspiring fathers are great since they dig deep into their fear of not getting to be a dad. Even with most of the film taking place in a single house in a remote location, the movie feels expansive as the fear of denial grips all four men. They do get extreme with each other when they fear the test is being jeopardized even if they have no clue as to whether the test is happening. Neal Kelley & Jono Sherman have created a disturbing and compelling film in Daddy.
The Video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. Things look great around the house. The Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. You’ll get the sense of being stuck in the house with these guys. The subtitles are in English and Spanish.
Audio Commentary with Neal Kelley & Jono Sherman. They talk about how when they shot the film in 2022, they didn’t realize how the opening scene with A.I. is now more realistic. They talk about how Joseph Lopez had an amazing backstory with his chauffer character who has no lines and appears only a few minutes. The talk about acting and directing themselves. In case Neal and Jono are reading: I watched the film first and then rewatched with their commentary track.
C.U.P.S. Episode 1 (6:41) is from a web series. A guy wakes up in a park after he’s been mugged and returns home to this roomie.
C.U.P.S. Episode 5 (6:11) has the two roomies laying back and sort of freaking out as they stare at the ceiling.
Dancing Scene (2:18) has the four guys in the house doing a dance routine. It’s a fun moment, but would have taken too much tension out of the film.
Improvisation Reel (19:55) has Neal Kelley & Jono Sherman explain how they would improv scenes and record them to write down the better part. They originally had a live doctor for the opening scene instead of the cold A.I. voice over the monitor. This is a good tool to explain how improv can work out a scene.
Anchor Bay Entertainment presents Daddy. Directed by Neal Kelley & Jono Sherman. Screenplay by Neal Kelley & Jono Sherman. Starring Neal Kelley, Jono Sherman, Jacqueline Toboni, Yuriy Sardarov, Britt Baron & Joseph Lopez. Running Time: 99 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: March 4, 2025.
