A father invites a woman home.
DADDY'S NIGHT is used with permission from Will Pinke. Learn more at imdb.com/name/....
Mommy is going out for the night, leaving Daddy home to put their daughter Betsy to sleep. Daddy is happy to get her to bed because that means he can invite his extramarital love Natalie over for a dalliance while his wife away.
But Daddy's plan goes awry when Betsy wakes up, afraid of a monster. Daddy does everything he can to pacify his young daughter, but her fear keeps her awake -- and keeps Daddy away from Natalie. As Betsy grows insistent and Natalie's patience grows thin, Daddy's time with his paramour is running out.
Directed and written by Will Pinke, this sly comedic short captures the tug between grown-up desires and the equally sharp duties of adulthood. The humor comes from watching the tidy borders between the compartments of Daddy's life fall apart, as he tries to mollify both his lover and his daughter, who both grow irascible with the only partially attentive Daddy. The storytelling is on the screwball side, but with a sharp eye for character that gives the film a deeply satisfying sense of engagement, if only to see if Daddy can pull it all off -- or get his comeuppance.
Daddy is a very naughty character, brought to life by smart, well-constructed writing that paces Daddy's obstacles and setbacks in such a way that keeps viewers' interest piqued and intrigued throughout. We see the doting, dutiful husband and parent at first, as Daddy bids his wife a warm goodbye and his daughter a sweet good night.
But that perspective is quickly flipped with Natalie enters the story, bringing her own agenda and urges with her. At first Natalie and Daddy dive right in, believing the only factor they're up against is Mommy's arrival back home. But soon a greater adversary makes itself felt, in the adorable and innocent guise of daughter Betsy, who insists there's a monster in her bedroom.
Daddy's effort to placate, comfort and wheedle his daughter back into bed is relatable to any parent (or recognizable to anyone who has been a child reluctant to go back to bed.) But Betsy will not be denied, and her need adds another level of suspense and potential discovery to the escalating tension, which Daddy increasingly cannot handle. Actor Michael Delisle plays the two sides of Daddy with great facility and comic timing. It's ultimately an honest and even brave performance because as Daddy gets more desperate at the idea of losing time and opportunity with Natalie, he reveals a core trait of selfishness underneath both the father and the illicit lover -- one that proves to be his downfall.
DADDY'S NIGHT ends with a conclusion that is equal parts cheeky and ironic, with a twist that fits into the film's slightly lurid and shadowy visual sense. It's both unexpected and yet cleverly "in plain sight" all along, making it a real treat when it's revealed and capping off what has turned into a roller-coaster of humor, suspense and family drama. When the ride ends, it's both deeply entertaining and satisfying in its twisted idea of cosmic justice and moral order.
15 сен 2024
