Daddy's Girl (2002) starring Martin Kemp, Stephanie Leonidas, William Ash, Martha Cope, Helene Kvale directed by Bill Eagle Movie Review

Daddy's Girl (2002)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Stephanie Leonidas in Daddy's Girl (2002)

Daddy Issues

10 years after her mother walked out and disappeared without a trace Emma Cooper (Stephanie Leonidas) is getting ready to go to university and asks her father Chris (Martin Kemp) whether they should have her legally declared dead as they have never heard from her again. But the bringing up of the past and the news that Chris has met a new woman leads to Emma having nightmares about her mother and a need for answers. One thing leads to another and a meeting with the police who decide to re-examine the old case.

It seems that every few years in the UK we hear a news story about a macabre murder where the family appeal for witnesses only for it to come out that it was a member of the family doing the killing. "Daddy's Girl" reminds me of one of those stories as we have Emma poking bout into her mother's disappearance and revelations coming as to what happened that night. And it is entertaining in a slightly amateurish way despite featuring actor Martin Kemp.

Now I say amateurish for various reasons from poor William Ash as DC Neil Hallam having some terrible dialogue to try and make sound right to the over use of violins when ever a certain character is on the screen. Basically within the first 15 minutes it is obvious as to what happened 10 years ago because the music gives it away.

But despite it being highly obvious and at times weak it is watchable partly because the basic idea is a fascinating one. And then because of the performances of Martin Kemp and Stephanie Leonidas who both rise above the poor dialogue to create interesting characters.

What this boils down to is that "Daddy's Girl" works because of the basic idea and the central performances but it is let down by obvious direction which is too suggestive.


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