”
Cute
”
is probably the most appropriate adjective for the new movie
”
Daddy Day Care,
”
currently playing at Premiere Cinemas.
“Cute” is probably the most appropriate adjective for the new movie “Daddy Day Care,” currently playing at Premiere Cinemas.
The 93-minute comic romp from Columbia Pictures, has a huge cuteness factor that camouflages many of the film’s inherent flaws. Parents are overwhelmed by the precocious tikes who are the real stars of the movie, and at the same time, children are getting a kick at how silly grown-ups can be.
The comedic direction of Steve Carr ( “Dr. Dolittle 2” and “Next Friday”) is not going to set the world on fire. Carr keeps the movie safe, the jokes clean and the plot predictable. But there are just enough sight gags, slapstick and funny quips from the kids to keep this plot afloat.
The plot centers around Eddie Murphy, as Charlie Hinton, and his friend Phil, played by Jeff Garlin, as a product development team for a major cereal company.
Charlie and Phil are laid off from their high-paying jobs during the economic crunch, and, with their wives working, the guys end up caring for the children. After being out of work for six months, they decide to open their own day care facility believing they can take care of 11 kids almost as easily as they can care for their two children.
Charlie and Phil soon realize that they know nothing about caring for children (they barely even know their own sons) and that they’re in way over their heads. But they refuse to call it quits because of their nemesis at a competing day care center, a cruel, cold-hearted headmistress, Mrs. Harridan, played wonderfully by Anjelica Huston (“The Postman always Rings Twice,” “Prizzi’s Honor” and “Ever After”) who’s continually trying to ruin their business.
Aside from Huston, probably the best performance in this piece goes to 4-year-old Oakland resident Khamani Griffin, who plays Charlie’s son, Ben.
Murphy has been playing it safe with his movie career lately by making these predictable movies that will make a modest but bankable $60 to $80 million. I miss the old Eddie Murphy, the wild, outlandish comedian who wasn’t afraid to skirt the edges of good taste in the search for some funny and somewhat insightful material. The flash of that roguish grin even as his character was doing something you know he shouldn’t be doing. That’s the Eddie Murphy the movies need more of, not less.
