Exploring Grief in DADDY’S HEAD: A Unique Creature Feature

A young boy dealing with loss is visited by something that bears a terrifying resemblance to his deceased father. Written and directed by Benjamin Barfoot, Daddy’s Head is a captivating yet delicately paced story about grief, featuring unsettling visuals and a grotesque, nightmare-inducing creature.

Isaac (Rupert Turnbull) is reeling after his father’s sudden death. His stepmother Laura (Julia Brown) is now his only family, and they both are coping with the loss differently. He seems somewhat in denial while she drowns her sorrow in bottles of wine.

However, several strange occurrences plague their mourning period. One evening, a harsh light radiates through the surrounding woods. On another day, they see heavy smoke from an unknown source. But most alarming of all, they witness an unidentifiable animal break in and out of the home.

Though they try to move past these events, Isaac is convinced that he is being visited by his father. Laura, struggling in her new role as a mother, remains unaware of the horrifying truth lurking beyond the trees.

Daddy’s Head nicely balances the two characters struggle to cope with their respective losses. You have Isaac, a child who has lost both his parents at such a young age, but also Laura, now forced into a parental role she never wanted. Both characters are flawed and stumbling with their grief, which adds a raw and emotional depth to the story.

The film maintains a somberness throughout. Visually, there is such a feeling of gloom and emptiness, largely due to the secluded location and cold, modern home. This bleak atmosphere is reinforced by a steady build-up that avoids over-the-top theatrics or scares. Thus allowing the complexities of Isaac and Laura’s dynamic to be explored more thoughtfully. Even as tensions mount, their performances maintain that melancholy.

It creates this semi-slow-burn to reveal who—or what—is visiting Isaac. The film does a great job of giving viewers small glimpses to hold curiosity before a truly unnerving reveal in the third act. But still, it stays away from giving you direct answers for everything, leaving you to come to your own conclusions.

It was interesting to learn that the writer and director wrote Daddy’s Head not realizing it to be inspired from his parent’s divorce at first. In an interview, Barfoot stated, “the theme of it is the destruction of a family, and a boy being lost, and trying to connect”. This made so much sense to me after watching the film and how it all felt so grounded in true emotion.

I went in expecting a creature feature and a house of frights but came out with a different perspective. Of course, it still delivers in that regard, but once the imprint of that creature subsides, the part that sticks with you most will be the story of the mending of a boy. Though, I wished for a few scenes that showed that evolution (we get a nice flash-forward) it doesn’t negate the films overall impact.

Daddy’s Head is streaming on Shudder October 11