What exactly does it mean to grow up? Does becoming an adult, or more to the point, does becoming a parent mean the end of being a child? Is it possible to maintain the essence of your own inner child while being responsible and raising children?

DADDY LONGLEGS, formerly titled GO GET SOME ROSEMARY, is a film that addresses these questions and more. Written and directed by Ben and Joshua Safdie, the film follows Lenny (Ronald Bronstein) as he struggles with being a good father to his two sons, Sage and Frey. No longer with their mother, Lenny gets to spend a couple weeks per year with his boys and tries very hard to make the most of his time with them.

Lenny is a projectionist for a small cinema in mid town New York who works late hours and lives the life of a bachelor most of the year, but when he has his boys he finds himself torn between being the cool dad and best friend to his boys and being the responsible and protective father that their mother and the school principle expect him to be. After an initial couple of days of fun, Lenny clearly begins to show signs of stress, frightened that he can’t be the father they need.

DADDY LONGLEGS is equally heartwarming and frightening. Lenny clearly loves his boys and would do anything for them, but finds that being a father is a demanding job, even for just a few weeks per year. The film has a docudrama feel and a vividly realistic point-of-view. The characters are rich, covering an array of backgrounds and personalities as is to be expected in New York, including a cameo from filmmaker Abel Ferrara.

The suspense of Lenny’s story is compelling. Lenny is a good guy, but like any human being doesn’t always make the best decisions. We root for Lenny and can empathize with him, whether we have children or not. His story is one of so many in real world where life is rarely easy and Murphy strikes hard and fast without mercy. Ronald Bronstein captures the essence of a father doing his best but never truly feeling like it’s enough or that his intentions are appreciated.

DADDY LONGLEGS does begin to feel a bit long after the first hour, but patience is key as the final third of the film recovers when Lenny begins to break down, realizing what fragile connection he has with his boys is at risk from their mother’s distrust and concern over Lenny’s situation and parenting skills. Faced with the difficult truth, Lenny resorts to measures of desperation to salvage his relationship with his boys.

This is a small film from The Big Apple with a big heart, combining family dysfunction with a less appealing side of life in New York City to cultivate the anxiety and angst that surrounds Lenny. DADDY LONGLEGS is not an easy or comfortable journey to take, but it has its share of tender moments and candid snapshots of a father and his boys that will make you smile.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars