A man accustomed to a life of privilege inherits a remote coastal property from a father he never knew. Seeking connection, he travels to the isolated retreat, but soon discovers a disturbing and sinister history surrounding his family. Confronted with unsettling secrets and lies, he must confront his father's dark past and the toxic legacy that has shaped his family, ultimately facing a reckoning that challenges everything he believes to be true.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Come to Daddy (2020), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood), a well-off musician residing in a lavish Beverly Hills mansion with his mother, unexpectedly receives a letter from his long-absent father inviting him for a visit. Having not seen his father since childhood, Norval embarks on a journey to a remote cabin on the Oregon coast. Initially, he is greeted warmly by his father, Martin Donovan. However, this cordial atmosphere quickly shifts when Norval confesses to a past suicide attempt; Brian’s demeanor changes, revealing an aggressive side as he verbally assaults Norval and even threatens him physically.
Tensions reach a breaking point when Brian violently attacks Norval with a meat cleaver. In the chaos, Brian suffers a heart attack and dies suddenly. Consequently, due to a lack of available space at the local morgue, Norval must keep his father’s embalmed body within the cabin as he waits for his mother to retrieve him. Yet, while attempting to cope with the unusual situation, Norval is repeatedly disturbed by mysterious noises echoing through the house.
An unexpected discovery occurs when he finds a concealed family photo album. To his shock, he realizes that the deceased man is not actually his father. This unsettling revelation leads him to uncover a hidden hatch, granting access to a bunker beneath the house, where he finds his biological father bloodied and chained. Under his father’s direction, Norval attempts to eliminate a man named Michael Smiley, an intruder intent on torturing him. However, Jethro manages to escape, swearing vengeance against Norval and his family.
After finally liberating Brian, Norval carries him upstairs, where Brian divulges the dark truth of his past. Following his departure from Norval and his mother, he teamed up with three men—Jethro, a heavily built individual named Simon Chin, and Stephen McHattie—to execute a kidnapping in Bangkok, which earned them a considerable sum of money. In an act of self-preservation, Brian had abandoned his former partners while using the ransom to maintain the luxurious lifestyle of Norval and his mother.
The situation further escalates when Garfield Wilson, another of Brian’s former accomplices, arrives at the cabin, attempting to murder Norval. In a desperate moment of survival, Norval retaliates, stabbing him violently before suffocating him to death with plastic wrap. Later, as Norval helps his father flee the cabin, Jethro returns, now wielding a flaming crossbow, revealing his plans of revenge against Norval’s mother.
Advising Norval to hide in Jethro’s trunk for a surprise attack, they drive to a motel where Jethro has arranged a meeting with a prostitute. During a BDSM encounter, Norval seizes the opportunity to sabotage Jethro’s escape by slashing his tires. Things take a twist when Jethro retaliates, stabbing Norval before leaving him for dead, but Norval manages to escape, only to discover Jethro has suffered a horrific accident.
In a shocking revelation, Jethro confesses that both he and Brian had a sexual relationship with Norval’s mother, which intensifies the animosity. In a final attempt to secure his fate, Norval stabs Jethro in a vulnerable spot, but not without sustaining injuries of his own.
Wounded yet relentless, Norval stumbles back to the lakeside cabin, ultimately lying next to his father’s remains. With heartfelt remorse, he apologizes, lamenting how he never allowed his mother to heal from the pain of loss. In a poignant moment, Brian faintly grips his son’s hand, suggesting a lingering connection amidst the chaos of their turbulent lives.
Last Updated: November 08, 2024 at 02:11
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