WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
The quandary of maintaining a sense of relevancy in life and as an individual. With time being the ever-present, unceasing taskmaster that it is, even the notion of acknowledging our inevitable aging is difficult enough on top of battling an image and perhaps, in vain, youthful pursuits that attempt to satisfy a misguided concept of contentment in our minds. Often, the results of this conceit yields harsh realizations. For
“Daddy” (Daniel Martin Berkey), exploring all of this has taken the form of an illicit affair with a much younger woman named Natalie (Gina Holden). Crushed in the wake of this is his now forlorn wife (Natasa Babic) and daughter (Kelley Heyer), both of whom have tried to talk logically to him about the rash path he is choosing. But, will his ego continue to dominate his actions, or will a new revelation about where things are headed cause a desperately needed reassessment?
Next, my Mind:
In this new indie short film effort from writer/director/producer/cinematographer/editor Matthew Kyle Levine plus producer/editor Shea Glasheen and producer/cinematographer Alex Scarlatos, aging, commitment, tainted self identity, love vs. lust, inward and outward discontent, manipulation, blatant denial, and other forms of self-made self destruction take center stage with dynamically, eloquently uncompromising, influential force that offers a vivid portrait of the means by which we cope with circumstances that weigh upon our conscious, causing us to make choices that are decidedly less than beneficial to not only ourselves, but to all those sucked into its vacuum. The sheer level of admittedly sobering humanity that is portrayed through the narrative we’re presented with should certainly stand as a virtual “how-NOT-to” lesson, yet also elicits a specific level of empathy and heartbroken-ness towards its lead character’s plight, regardless of how misguided his actions are.
Thrusting us into the spiraling world of a retired but still well-off business executive indulging in more than his fair share of a post-youthful/mid-life crisis via an affair with a woman the same age as his daughter, much less right under his “in-the-know” wife and said daughter’s noses, the manner by which he chooses to confront the entire situation is, putting it mildly, far removed from anything healthy as he puts everyone he claims to “care” about in emotional harm’s way. The ongoing justifications he manifests to handle anyone coming at him (again, primarily his own spouse and child) is as hinted at above both off-putting yet simply, strangely sad, and the fact he remains oblivious to it is what allows the film to carry the kind of purposeful impact and trajectory its story is following. Notions of all the methods of “release” we try out to cope with the actual strain of this stress and volatility are showcased, and does it all come from our own (in this case Daddy’s) anxieties, regrets, guilt, and/or shame.
Thematic explorations like this, I feel anyway, are highly imperative to be addressed through the medium of film, as I truly believe it can act as a catalyst for greater awareness and a reminder (whether we wish it or not) of just how flawed we are, but more so how when we allow those inner battles to overtake our perception of who we are, the potential ramifications of this are potently illustrated throughout this film’s tale. Add other elements such as the destructive power of alcoholism and drug use, twisted views of reality, love of money vs. a person, and believing we’re being judged by others who care for us despite their real intent being to help, it all comes to a head here in a manner that shatters the lead character’s whole demeanor towards both his main dalliance as well as the sudden realization that everything he’s thought to have “gained” from his decisions may not be the pure joy he’s deluded himself into assuming is genuine. The film’s finale puts this into fantastically impactful view then leaves any continuation to conjecture. Beautiful.
Now, this is not to say that the young woman involved is a total innocent in this, as an affair IS two-sided, but even despite the motives and directions she wishes things to move forward through in their relationship, it was honestly difficult for me NOT to see her as more a victim of the whole thing, caught up in something she seems content with, but questions when it comes to Daddy’s idea about what to do with his wealth. In a grander scheme of events, talk about having “daddy issues”. Berkey exudes a impassioned, stormy, ever-fluctuating, highly effective, engaging strength and authority through his role as Daddy, an aging retiree executive whose found himself now haunted, even trapped, by a seemingly unending cycle of increasingly turbulent existence as an affair with a younger woman amongst other “sins” threaten to completely destroy everything he’s ever achieved or had in his successful life, though him admitting and facing it is not on his agenda.
Even as he witnesses his marriage in shambles and a connection with both his wife and daughter an exercise in self-serving, unscrupulous scheming and rationalization, the insistence the “bond” he has with his young lover is true and meaningful propels him forward until a unanticipated jolt of actually wanting to do something legitimately good might shake him enough to change. Through all this, Berkey just oozes both vileness and brokenness through his performance, and it really lends a compelling intensity to the character that makes you both hate and empathize with him (JUST a little). Holden plays Natalie, the object of Daddy’s desire, with this wonderfully charming, disarmingly unguarded innocense that really endears you to the character. Natalie’s involvement with him is sincere, yet one cannot still help but wonder what the ultimate motive is, given his wealth and offering her that “I’ll take care of you”, nurturing outlet that makes her feel wanted and loved, but is she REALLY satisfied with the situation enough to see it go long term?
The winning smile, whimsical demeanor, and totally understated yet alluring manner Natalie carries herself with makes her the total package, and Holden nails it to a “T” through per performance. Babic plays the long suffering, deeply hurt, greatly agitated yet handcuffed-by-Daddy’s-underhanded-tactics wife with the level of emotional vulnerability and barely repressed rage one would expect from the character’s position in the tale, lending a layer of believability to events that serves the whole so well. Likewise, Heyer as Daddy’s daughter is a study in the love of a child towards her father mixed with the absolute confusion and disbelief at his actions and how he maintains it’s all for the best while trying to insist he still loves her. Heyer embodies this dichotomy with perfect precision and heartbreakingly painful, fiery, yet subdued poise and fervency. Supporting roles arrive from Alexandra Lenore as Natalie’s interestingly understanding roommate and Rachel Kinzler as yet another woman swallowed up in Daddy’s deteriorating situation.
In total, “Daddy’s Wallet” delivers what indie film does so continually and overtly well–realistic, grounded, convincing depictions of the darker places human beings can take themselves into while in the pursuit of what they believe is a necessary journey to find themselves and everything they might feel they still “need” when what they already have doesn’t seem to satisfy. But, in weaving these tapestries of profound upending of soul, it can also yield the kind of necessary moral that acts as a cautionary tale, perhaps even making us reassess our own choices that we might avoid similar inclinations and hopefully instead find better roads to soothe a troubled spirit and mind.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
