Catch Me Daddy (2015) - Daniel Wolfe

aniel Wolfe's Catch Me Daddy is a stylish descent into the world of organized crime that uses a rather unique narrative to offer insights into the relation dynamics which exist in this cruel world.  The story itself is centered around Laila, a girl living on the outskirts of West Yorkshire with her boyfriend Aaron.  Living a seemingly simple existence fueled with minor drug use and a job at a hair salon, Laila's story takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of her brother and a gang of thugs.  Catch Me Daddy is a film that wisely keeps the viewer in in the dark about Laila's connection with these men from the onset, relying far more on visual storytelling then expositional dialogue to set the story in motion.  As the film progresses it becomes clear that Laila is the daughter of a powerful man, who has sent his son and other various men to track down his daughter and bring her home.  Catch Me Daddy is perhaps best described as a chase film, finding Laila and her boyfriend, Aaron, trying to stay one step ahead of those in pursuit. Very little is ever given as to exactly what Laila's running from, but by the conclusion it becomes clear that she was raised in a dark world in which she has little hope of escaping.  A good looking film, Catch Me Daddy uses it's setting well, with an abundance of landscape shots of the desolate countyside and overcast skies that create the perfect ominous atmosphere for this dark tale.  I particularly liked the ingenuity used during the night sequences, as the filmmakers uses flashilights, headlamps, and tale lights to amplify the surrounding darkness.  While the film works well as a thriller, Catch Me Daddy's most interesting aspect is how it juxtaposes the criminal lifestyle and paternal instincts, contrasting the conflicting nature of these two things.  I wouldn't say this dissection is as fully baked as it could have been, but how Laila finds herself at the mercy of her father's ways is fascinating, as one could even make an argument centered around feminisms lack of place in her father's world.  While Catch Me Daddy's most interesting aspects could have been a bit more developed, the film is a well-crafted thriller full of strong performances and tension-filled energy.

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