Sugar Daddy – Earning Its Place In The Good For Her Cinematic Universe

As an occasionally starving “artist” myself, it’s easy to sympathize with the wide variety of protagonists with the same affliction. Too often, those with the most to say are unable to say it, because the arts and entertainment industry favors the pre-selected, those with money and connections. Sugar Daddy, written by and starring Kelly McCormack and directed by Wendy Morgan, explores another woman in this uncomfortable phase of life. Darren (McCormack), a talented musician, has had her life come to a standstill, and she needs money. After being fired from a catering job, she signs up for a website that pairs hopeful sugar babies with rich men to go on dates. She soon finds herself making more than she ever has, and being able to explore her music freely, but at the cost of some people in her life who have misunderstood her.

While a tried and true story, Sugar Daddy injects a special poignancy in the self-destructive tendencies of Darren. Darren, while a funny, beautiful, and interesting character, dangles right on the line between likeable and intolerable. McCormack straddles this line with ease, leading viewers to cringe at a result of some truly outlandish behavior on her part. Nevertheless, Darren still has some redeeming qualities to her in spite of her outlandish behavior that make it easy to connect with her on a deeper emotional level. She is relatable as many are sure to see themselves in her as she is just like who all of us are sometimes: desperate, lonely, and just trying to make it all come together. Darren is ultimately seeking happiness, and without getting too much into it, she is well on her way towards that goal, however convoluted it may be, by the end of the film.

Although all the acting, set design, and writing is spectacular, what truly makes Sugar Daddy special is Marie-Hélène L. Delorme’s composing and Jody Collero and Amanda Clemens’ music supervision. The type of music playing throughout was simply sensational. It was both beautiful and dramatic without being cloying, and so perfectly represented the character of Darren. Frankly, it was surprising to not see McCormack listed in either of these roles, because the music felt cohesive to the character of Darren and her script. The collaboration process on this film is something that should be commended as all these separate elements can feel so in tune that one can almost forget that is exactly what they are: separate. 

In the end, Sugar Daddy is a film that has certainly earned its place among the ranks of the Good For Her Cinematic Universe, along with films like Promising Young Woman, Jennifer’s Body, Gone Girl, and many other classics. While maybe not as murderous of a film as those aforementioned titles, Darren is a woman who does what she can to do better. I loved this character so much, so hopefully she does.

still courtesy of levelFilm

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Anna Campion