Review: ‘Daddy’: It’s hard to embrace this tale of a randy older guy and his affair with intern

“Daddy” is the strained, at times cringe-worthy film adaptation of Dan Via’s stage play, which ran off-Broadway in 2010 and the next year in Los Angeles. Based on the show’s largely good reviews, something was clearly lost in translation.

Colin (Gerald McCullouch) is a Pittsburgh sports columnist and TV host in his late 40s who jumps into a relationship with his 21-year-old office intern, Thaddeus or “Tee” (Jaime Cepero). Things get complicated and off-putting, but not in ways you might first expect.

McCullouch, who directed from Via’s script, is an appealing actor. But his randy Colin, a “daddy” in gay parlance, seems so narcissistic and shallow — and a bit of a throwback — that he’s tough to embrace. Meanwhile, the devoutly raised Tee is such a skittish brat that it’s hard to believe Colin would fall for him after apparently decades of commitment phobia. Cepero’s awkward performance does little to authenticate the pairing.

More interesting is Colin’s codependent friendship with neighbor and old college pal Stewart (Via), a fussy loner with a dry wit and a good heart. Their odd-couple dynamic has a genuine spine and is a welcome respite from the unconvincing main story. Via wrote himself a strong part, and he plays it well.

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“Daddy”

No rating.

Running time: 1 hour, 29 minutes.

Playing: Arena Cinema, Hollywood. Also on VOD.