A Mind-Bending Take on Masculinity

Read Time:4 Minute, 43 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Daddy
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Genre: Comedy
Year Released: 2023, Anchor Bay Entertainment 2025
Runtime: 1h 39m
Director(s): Neal Kelley, Jono Sherman
Writer(s): Neal Kelley, Jono Sherman
Cast: Britt Baron, Neal Kelley, Pomme Koch, Joseph Lopez, Yuriy Sardarov, Jono Sherman, Jacqueline Toboni
Where To Watch: available February 25, 2025; pre-order your copy here: www.mvdshop.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Something is unnerving about a film that never lets you get too comfortable. DADDY takes that approach and runs with it, shaping a story that blends satire, psychological tension, and sharp social commentary. It presents an exaggerated yet plausible world where the government controls who can be a father. But beneath that premise lies a much darker exploration of gender expectations, institutional control, and the power dynamics that shape society. It’s a film that balances absurdity with reality, keeping its audience guessing while never revealing too much.

Jono Sherman’s Jeremy serves as the audience’s entry point, a hopeful father-to-be undergoing a strange and impersonal evaluation by an AI known as F.R.A.N.N., voiced by Britt Baron. The conversation between them is as unsettling as it is dark and funny, with the mechanical detachment of the AI making the absurdity of the situation even more pronounced. This initial exchange sets the tone, clarifying that DADDY isn’t interested in playing by conventional rules.

Soon after, Jeremy arrives at a mountain retreat where he meets three other men—Mo (Pomme Koch), Sebastian (Yuriy Sardarov), and Andrew (Neal Kelley). Each was brought here for some form of evaluation, yet none knew how they would be judged. The lack of structure fuels paranoia, turning what might have been a simple bureaucratic process into a psychological experiment with no clear boundaries. The characters question everything: the purpose of the retreat, each other’s motives, and whether they are being observed.

The baby doll becomes an object of fixation, only to be layered with a deeper meaning as the story unfolds. The tension builds, with each character reacting differently to the uncertainty. Some lean into competition, some into introspection, and others spiral into outright suspicion. Then, just as the group starts settling into an uneasy rhythm, Jacqueline Toboni’s Ally arrives, throwing everything further into chaos. Her presence is deliberately disruptive, and her changing stories keep the audience and the characters on edge.

DADDY is the kind of film that thrives on ambiguity. It never fully explains itself, trusting the viewer to combine its themes and subtext. For those who appreciate narratives that invite analysis, this approach is refreshing. Directors Neal Kelley and Jono Sherman craft a story that resists easy categorization, blending moments of humor with a creeping sense of unease. The dialogue is laced with satire, often making the audience laugh before making them question why they found something funny in the first place.

Beyond the performances, Matt Orenstein’s score plays a crucial role in shaping the film’s identity. The music doesn’t just accompany the scenes—it actively entrenches itself in them, shifting tones as the narrative moves between satire and suspense. It helps establish the mood that engages the audience, making even small moments feel significant.

The film uses its isolated setting—the vast yet confining mountain retreat as the perfect metaphor for the character’s predicament. The cinematography captures the landscape's beauty and the situation's suffocating anxiety, reinforcing the themes of control and uncertainty. One of the film’s greatest strengths is its refusal to adhere to a single genre. It shifts seamlessly from dark comedy to psychological drama, sometimes within the same scene. The satirical elements never feel forced, allowing the characters to naturally embody the film’s themes rather than becoming mouthpieces for them.

DADDY is a film that lingers. It takes risks, plays with expectations, and delivers a unique viewing experience that doesn’t fade when over. This isn’t the type of film that dominates theater screens, but it's worth watching for those who appreciate unconventional storytelling with a sharp edge.

Kelley and Sherman have crafted something that feels both timely and timeless. They dissect deeply relevant issues while avoiding the trap of heavy-handed messaging. DADDY is a film designed to provoke thought, the kind that leaves viewers eager to discuss it afterward. Whether it leaves you laughing, uncomfortable, or both, one thing is certain—it’s not easily forgotten.

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[photo courtesy of ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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