Nerd Church - Dylan Sprouse In A Dress Is Living In My Head, Rent-Free

 ...yes, that Dylan Sprouse.

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, brother of Cole, Dylan Sprouse.

In a dress.

In my head.

I'm talking about Christian Coppola's short film 'Daddy.'

...which you can actually see for free (legally for free, and everything,) on YouTube. 

I'll embed it below for you ('cos I'm nice like that.)

Run-time: 18.12

Warning: very mild flashing images, sex work (non-explicit,) mild sexual references, grief, loneliness, implied historical prejudice against LGBTQ+ people

'Daddy' is about an elderly, recently widowed, gentleman, Mr Smith (Ron Rifkin,) who pays a young sex worker, Paul (Dylan Sprouse,) to dress up and keep him company on his anniversary.

(I'm honestly not sure whether it's supposed to be his wedding anniversary, or the anniversary of his wife's death - either works.)

They have dinner in his room at a swanky hotel, while Paul fulfils a role half-way between being his own person, and the embodiment of Mr Smith's late wife.

...It sounds seedy as hell, but that couldn't be farther from the case if it tried.

This film is beautiful.

Like, so beautiful.

And sweet and gentle and... did I say beautiful?

There are many pieces of art and media, and of course, fictional characters, that live in my head rent-free.

(Freaking freeloaders - they could at least chip in with the bills every now and then!)

Some of them are almost-constant companions.

(Like Bucky Barnes, who has his own floor.)

Others will be quiet for a long time, and then suddenly, and randomly, clamour for my attention - occupying my thoughts at the most random of opportunities, winding and twisting and turning in their themes and imagery.

'Daddy' is one of the latter.

Every now and then the existence of this quiet masterpiece will prick at my brain - and then that's it: I end up watching it, thinking about it, and, evidently, writing about it 😅

It's just... everything about it works.

The performances are amazing, and it's visually beautiful. There's heart and emotion and this beautiful, gentle, tone.

And it never (imho) veers into pretentiousness or gratuitousness.

In fact, the boldness of this film is that it doesn't take the path of all the well-worn tropes, cliches, stereotypes, etc.

It stays very gentle (I know, I know, I'm using that word a lot,) and very focussed on these people as people.

And what more could you ask for, really?

Have you seen this film? Or are you going to now that I've presented it so nicely? (Lol)

Is there art or media that lives in your head rent-free?

Talk to me! 😎💬

You can follow me on Twitter @CeeDoraReads, on Pinterest, and on Dora Reads @ BlogLovin. For more ways to support me, check out the Support Me page

Previous Nerd Church posts:

• Nerd Church - National Mourning Is Not the Same As Private Mourning

• Nerd Church - Constantly Consuming Content

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