Catch Me Daddy

Dir: Daniel Wolfe

2014

****

Daniel Wolfe's stunning debut is an intense and challenging thriller like no other. Co-written with his brother Matthew, Catch Me Daddy is a neo-realistic thriller about the taboo subject of honour killings, filmed in the same music-video style that Wolfe is well known for. The details are never explained, indeed, the term honour kill is never used but the chase, the violence and the plastic-lined boot of the hired pursuers’ car tells you all you need to know. Under the influence of a controlling father and under the false guise of culture, Laila's brothers are hunting her down for escaping from her family. They have hired a couple of heavies, one fuelled by violence and greed and the other copious amounts of cocaine and together they stop at nothing in tracking her down. The whole time they suggest that they want to be a happy family again but a criminal past is obvious and every scene has an uncomfortably unpredictable feel about it. Laila (played by the impressive Sameena Jabeen Ahmed) is hiding with her Scottish boyfriend in a caravan park and once she is found the film descends into a thrilling and palpable horror. There is no gore and the violence isn't as strong as I'd expected but this is pure horror thanks to the characters. Her brothers (one of who is referred to as sister-f**ker) never seem to be in it for anything other than fear, money and twisted responsibility, they're full of contradictions, as is their father. The two hired helpers are an ex-doorman and his drug addict friend (the brilliant Gary Lewis), they know the bigger picture and know what will happen to Laila if caught but they either don't care or are prepared to turn a blind eye and convince themselves it is all above board. Laila's reaction to her father and brothers is almost as frustrating as their actions but it completes a cycle that is hard to understand but does happen, and it's certainly not exclusive to Asian families. The conclusion is brilliantly undisclosed, ultimately what happens eventually isn't really important, it's too late, the deed has been done, bringing the story to a devastating halt. One of the most powerful films of 2014 featuring talent to look out for in the future.