"This was my first film to screen at Sundance, and let me tell you guys, it really sets the bar high for what is to come."
Those were the infamous words spoken by the Sundance volunteer who was pegged to introduce Daddy Longlegs, a feature by Benny and Josh Safdie that was selected as part of the 'Spotlight' programming at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. **What is the Spotlight programming? Maybe add another sentence to clue us in**
It was 8:30 AM on the first day of the festival. Her words got my hopes up; and in quick style, the film itself brought me back down to reality"”with a hard, and largely unneeded extra push!
Where to begin? Let us start at the beginning.
The film, tabbed with a small cast and even smaller budget, was set to tell the story of a divorced father who gets no more than two weeks alone with his two young boys. It was supposed to show the love and admiration that comes with parenthood, along with the harsh reality that life can't always be full of praise and good fortune.
I say "supposed to show" because instead, we were greeted with a largely flawed character, a horrific father, two loud and obnoxious kids, all of whom do nothing to better the world around them.
The story is inconsistent, the constant screaming of the kids overbearing and the camera work full of miscues and out of focus shots. Thrown together, the film itself is heavily loaded with beginner's mistakes, at times showing its budget too strongly, and holding itself back as a result - oh, and did I mention that the ending proves no closure; so much so that I am actually in fear for a potential sequel?
Ronald Bronstein is the best presence within the film, though that isn't saying much, and the story itself does show glimpses of a real life story. But the speedy recovery from every act of conflict took the film out of this world and placed it into one of simple resolve - a far cry from entertainment on many levels.
Did the film possess potential? Yes. Did it deliver of its potential? No.
Daddy Longlegs will always be remembered, but not necessarily for a good reason. Sticking out in my mind as the most undeserving film to be shown at a Sundance over the last few years, I feel robbed and disgruntled"”not because I lost the opportunity to see a different film, but because I lost the opportunity to grab a little more shut-eye before the festival gets into full
Daddy Longlegs is available now on Video on Demand.
