Daddy Day Care (2003)

Very disappointing...

Truly Dreadful Film

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Daddy Daycare (2003): Dir: Steve Carr / Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Anjelica Huston, Regina King: About as much fun as having a group of children line up around the block for an opportunity to kick you in the crotch. It is a nitwit comedy addressing genders elements where males are seen as unfit caregivers. Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin play working fathers who are fired from their job so they decide to start a daycare. This proves difficult when rival daycare owner Anjelica Huston opposes it. Non-existing plot climaxing with Huston getting her just desserts. This is divert when factoring in that the rival daycare is where children are actually learning different languages and developing skills. Murphy's daycare has children running about eating junk food. Directed by Steve Carr who worked with Murphy in the dreary Dr. Dolittle 2. The sets are horrid and the screenplay is complete simplicity. Murphy is likable but the material is flat. Garlin overacts particularly when he runs back and forth yelling holding a dead mouse. Steve Zahn plays a Star Trek obsessed mail carrier who might have worked in a better movie. Huston is belittled as a tyrant daycare facility head. Regina King has the lifeless role as Murphy's wife whose job is to be off screen as much as possible. Gender point argued but film looks so bad that it could have been made by kids. Score: 3 / 10

Two men get laid off in product development at a large food company and are forced to become stay-at-home fathers. They create a new day care facility called "Daddy Day Care". As "Daddy Day Care" starts to catch on, it launches them into a rivalry with the Chapman Academy tough-as-nails director, Ms. Harridan.....Whatever you think of Eddie Murphy and his later films (the ones without swearing), one cannot deny that they have a slight sincerity about them.Here is another example, if it is an average example. Murphy plays the straight guy with all the best lines and the best house and best kids. The Big guy plays the slapstick Prat- falling guy with a fear of body fluids.And then there's Steve Zahn. An actor who is quite prolific, so at the time it was quite odd him being in this, but he is and he is the useless part of the film. There really wasn't any reason for him to be in this.The film plays out how it should, there's a scene where the Day Care gets threatened with closure, the rival group sabotage something, and Murphy gives it all up to get his old job back, but then something happens that makes him realise the error of his ways.It's not funny, I didn't laugh once, but its nice and inoffensive, and my daughter lapped it up.

Daddy Day Care is not absolutely brilliant, but what I liked about it was that it didn't try to be. Admittedly the story is silly and predictable, the script has its weak spots, it can get sickly sweet in places and there are some repetitive sight gags. However, it is nicely filmed, has a good soundtrack, does have some funny moments and there are some decent performances from Eddie Murphy(who sensibly underplays), Jeff Carlin and Anjelica Huston. However it is the kids who steal the show, they are very cute and energetic. Overall, Daddy Day Care isn't that bad, it is lacking in originality but has a good cast and has enough energy to make it watchable. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Cheaper by the Dozen was out the same year, and this is almost the same type of film. I have given this film the same rating out of 10 as I did for Cheaper (because it isn't brilliant), but I think this is the much better film to watch. Basically two fathers, Charlie Hinton (Eddie Murphy) and his friend (and work pal) Phil (Jeff Garlin) lose their jobs in product development at a large food company, and are forced to become stay-at-home dads. With no jobs in sight, they decide to set up a new day care facility from home, called "Daddy Day Care". When the parents have been persuaded to give the male day care runners a chance, it catches on, and the kids that turn up include Crispin (Shane Baumel), Becca (Hailey Noelle Johnson), and The Flash/Tony (Jimmy Bennett), oh, and Charlie's kid Ben (Khamani Griffin) joins in too. The only thing that could stop them continuing this success is the mean Chapman Academy director Miss Harridan (Anjelica Huston). There some good moments with the two dads playing with the kids and keeping them quiet in various ways, and Murphy makes a more fun dad than Steve Martin did, a good family film. Okay!