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Daddy's Wallet (2021)

Writer's picture: Kyle BainKyle Bain

Daddy (Daniel Martin Berkey) is a retired Wall Street executive, and for the past year he’s been in a relationship with a younger woman, Natalie (Gina Holden)--who is the same age as his daughter (Kelley Heyer). What makes the situation even more complicated is the fact that Daddy is still married. Daddy’s Wallet tells the story of Daddy as he begins falling in love with this younger woman, and the struggles of realizing that what he wants may not be what he gets. While the journey of Daddy is unique, it is one that will resonate with the world.


What immediately becomes clear about Daddy’s Wallet is the fact that the film is shot almost entirely by using closeup shots. There are no true establishing shots, no long shots, and nothing to give the viewer a sense of where they are. This is a bold decision made by the creators of this film (Matthew Kyle Levine, Shea Glasheen, and Alex Scarlatos), but it’s one that pays off. As Daddy’s Wallet plays out viewers are invited into this twisted situation and begin feeling an intimate connection with the characters on screen. That intimacy comes very much as a result of the aforementioned decision regarding the cinematography. That decision, however, comes with some negative consequences as well.


As the camera gets close to the faces of each of the actors it becomes easier to spot flaws in their performances. Holden, Heyer, and Natasa Babic (The Wife) are average, and effective, actors. They are able to convey emotion effectively and drive the story forward, essentially doing all that is asked of them. But these women aren’t the leads of Daddy’s Wallet, and, therefore, their abilities aren’t enough to balance out the issues that lie ahead.


My issue with the acting lies solely on the shoulders of Berkey. While he’s certainly not the worst actor in the world, it’s clear that he struggles to accurately purvey emotion; and he is Daddy’s Wallet’s lead. I need more from him throughout the course of the short film, and I need him to be able to bring the story to life and give viewers a reason to root for him and connect with his character--but I can’t say that this is the reality of what occurred. Daddy isn’t likeable (and this is intentional), but that hands Berkey the task of bridging the gap between himself and the viewer, but his inability to do what is asked leaves his character a bit one dimensional and unrelatable.


The reality is that there are people out there who are similar to Daddy, and the character is so well written. There should be a relationship forged between Daddy and the audience, and it’s simply Berkey’s inability to break stride from his monotony and convey anything other than sincerity and curtness that forces the character to fail. There is a message present throughout Daddy’s Wallet with which we can all identify. We all know someone like Daddy, or Natalie, or the Wife; and the way in which Levine tells this story of love and betrayal is spot on. I love all that Levine, Glasheen, and Scarlatos have to offer, and I believe that their futures are bright. Next time they need to find the talent that better fits their vision; but Daddy’s Wallet is a testament to all that this group of creators bring to the table.


Created by Shea Glasheen, Matthew Kyle Levine, & Alex Scarlatos.


Written & Directed by Matthew Kyle Levine.


Starring Daniel Martin Berkey, Gina Marie Holden, Natasa Babic, Kelley Heyer, Alexandra Lenore, & Rachel Kinzler.


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10


8 comments

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8 comentários


Dan Berkey
Dan Berkey
25 de fev. de 2022

Kyle,


I would like your opinion on a few films I've done. Your direct candor is what I like a great deal. I'm submitting them using the above form.


Cheers, Dan Berkey

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Dan Berkey
Dan Berkey
26 de fev. de 2022
Respondendo a

Cool.

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Dan Berkey
Dan Berkey
05 de fev. de 2022

As artists we explore things that challenge us; how we explore these things is subjective within and without, though we strive to be specific, and we may even think we found that one thing, the one speck that'll unravel the whole mystery, but the irony is that once this speck is found, doors fling open to reveal that speck to be the trigger of a bomb of sorts that blows us apart, and those bloody bits become the jigsaw pieces of the character we're playing. This character was very hard for me to find. I kept being too emotional with everyone. The director said, that's wonderful, Dan, great, but that's not Daddy. Pull back on the emotional content. Be intelligent,…


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Dan Berkey
Dan Berkey
03 de fev. de 2022

Thankyou for your honest review, Kyle. I admire direct honesty and I loathe patronizing b.s. I have a few points I want to make, just for discussions' sake. What many people are observing but not understanding is that the character of Daddy is a person who's only interested in himself, which is obvious, but what he is is not being recognized; he's a full blown narcissist. He is one of those people who have no ability to honestly connect emotionally with anyone. He can put up a good ruse, yeah, which is what he did to seduce his mistress. At this point, however, he doesn't have to maintain the ruse. She's under his thumb, much like his wife. He has…

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Kyle Bain
Kyle Bain
05 de fev. de 2022
Respondendo a

You're more than welcome for the review--and you're more than welcome for being honest. I'd be doing everyone (including myself) a disservice if I fudged the truth even a little bit. This is the kind of feedback I love, not the ones where people are filled with frustration and/or anger because I said something about their performance that they don't like. I commend you for this, it's the mark of not only a passionate and dedicated performer, but of a good and confident person.


Thank you so much for taking the time to reach out and explain all of this. I completely understand what you mean about the "Luke warm" sex scene.. However, I just recently watched a Slamdance film…


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