Movie Review: Daddy’s Head

When you see a movie with a name like Daddy’s Head, you know you’re in for something at least a little weird, and that is precisely what sophomore filmmaker Benjamin Barfoot serves up here. Using the genre to examine the ways that grief makes us suffer and sometimes lash out at others, it isn’t exactly a novel idea, but it’s executed well and contains more than enough genuinely creepy moments to make it worth a watch.

After the death of his mother, Isaac’s (Rupert Turnbull) father (Charles Aitken) remarried to Laura (Julia Brown). Despite her best efforts, Isaac resists becoming closer to his stepmother, which becomes especially problematic after a car accident claims his father’s life as well. Laura doesn’t know what to do, as she never wanted children but also doesn’t want to see Isaac wind up in the foster care system, and so tries to make things work while still dealing with her own grief. When Isaac begins seeing and communicating with an entity claiming to be his dad, their relationship becomes further strained and unexplainable events begin occurring around the isolated house.

Brown and Turnbull give excellent performances as a pair of damaged people being haunted by forces both internal and external. The sleek and modern house and its surrounding woods are used to great effect during the scarier moments, with Barfoot and cinematographer Miles Ridgway executing some strikingly eerie shots. The being itself is seen only sparingly, but the glimpses we get of it are enough to establish it as a serious threat. While we do get some answers as to what it might be and how it works, its origin and intent are never fully explained, wisely leaving viewers to ponder that for themselves.

While it isn’t the most novel of ideas, it’s made with obvious care and a deep knowledge of what works or doesn’t work in the genre. Through smart use of imagery and sound, Barfoot crafts a folk-horror tale that gets the audience to jump more than a few times and will likely have them taking second glances in the shadows after its over. A solid effort by a filmmaker to watch. ★★★★