I Love You Daddy
Maybe I could have appreciated Louis C.K.’s muddled mess at another time. But. A comedy about a Woody Allen-ish director, a brilliant auteur with a reputation for taking advantage of innocent young things? A movie in which Louis repeats words he has used to the real-life press, vaguely defending his own questionable reputation, reminding us not to give light to dark rumors, to things that happen behind closed doors?
I just can’t.
Yes, I can see the possibilities here. A luscious Chloe Grace Moretz prances around her divorced dad’s swell apartment, flopping through her senior year of high school, aimless. She’s got Daddy (Louis C.K.) right where she wants him, supplying private planes as he might be hiring college admissions tutors. When the notorious young womanizing super director, played rather deliciously by John Malcovich, appears on the scene, TV producer Dad may be tongue tied, but baby doll’s cool, latching on to an opportunity that makes a lot of other people uneasy.
There are some memorable moments that pop up in what feels like a star filled extended improv. May I live the rest of my life without ever having to see Charlie Day ape masturbation again, as he eavesdrops while a hot actress calls a producer for an audition, however horribly true to life that scene may be. Rose Byrne continues to impress, as does Edie Falco and Pamela Adlon, all of whom play women who’re smarter than any of the men they have to deal with. Louis C.K. has written interesting female characters before. You know he’s winking at us, reminding us sometimes the guy who’s all for equality is really the guy who’s up to no good. Considering what’s been happening not just globally, but also with this filmmaker’s own notoriety, this wink now feels spine-chilling.
The Movie Minute 