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Reviews
Daddy Issues (2018)
Passionate, endearing film with an ending far less heartbreaking than I expected
Watched this movie on a whim after looking to hear for more music from Maxton Waller. Didn't go in expecting much, (4/10 on IMDb?) but the trailer sold me. The movie felt like a real story, the characters are so well-written and I appreciate how flawed-but-human the characters were portrayed.
Based on the initial set-up and premise of the movie, I was holding my breath expecting the rug to be pulled out from under me once the sugar daddy situation got revealed. I can see how some negative reviewers would think badly of the film, because initially it feels like they're setting up for some sort of horror plot that would result in a really disturbing ending. While things DO get intense near the end of the movie, and there's plenty of heartbreak and pain after the fallout, we get a reasonably happy and satisfying ending. I think some of these filmbros were expecting something akin to a slasher ending or similar.
Instead, seeing the plot resolve the way it did felt like having the rug pulled out from underneath - in a good way! It was a really pleasant surprise getting to see Maya happy at the end, and the father genuinely trying to be a better person.
I'm very impressed with the way they balanced tone while keeping suspense. We feel Maya, but we also feel Jasmine and Maya's father. Even when the characters are at odds with each other the film makes you *care* about everyone involved, even the dad, and that's a difficult thing to pull off.
Side note: this movie felt *heavily* inspired by Life Is Strange! Really felt like an alternate-universe version of Rachel and Chloe. I'm so curious whether the writers were influenced by the game at all because Jasmine is SO much like Rachel, as Maya is to (pre-LiS) Chloe.