FilmSnobReviews

Title: Daddy Issues
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Amara Cash
Starring: Madison Lawlor, Montana Manning, Andrew Pifko
Runtime: 1 hr 21 mins

What It Is: Maya (Lawlor) is a young LGBTQ+ artist living with her mother Danielle (Kamala Jones) and stepfather Jim (Seth Cassell). When she meets one of her celebrity crushes in fashion designer Jasmine (Manning). When the two begin to see each other romantically something develops. A wrench gets thrown when part of Jasmine’s life that she’s kept hidden suddenly complicates the life she was having with Maya. With everything spiraling out of control the young artist will grab on to whomever and whatever she can.

What We Think: Sometimes there are movies that are complete and utter surprises. Films that before you even watch them there’s a sense that perhaps you aren’t going to like them. Man! Did I misjudge this one! Not only is this one of the years most unexpected surprises it is, on it’s own a real treat. Amara Cash’s decisions (in her feature debut) just work. You can see that she loves the material. That script (written by Alex Bloom) has hints of Bloom’s previous work with Cash on the short film I’ll Eat You Alive. Which ironically also features a protagonist with unique hair color.

Our Grade: B+, As far as 2019 goes this is a film I utterly enjoyed. Great performances and a unique tale all lead to something unexpected but completely welcomed. If you can find this film it is one certainly worth doing so for. I, of course, am going to recommend this one very strongly. It makes its statement and does so with enough nuance and subtlety that one will notice, only slightly, what it’s doing. Lastly, the soundtrack for this film isn’t really great. It fits the film but the music is just really terrible.