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With
no job possibilities on the horizon, the two dads open their own
day care facility, "Daddy Day Care," and employ some
fairly unconventional and sidesplitting methods of caring for
children.
DADDY DAY CARE
(2003)
This page was created on May 8, 2003
This page was last updated on
May 16, 2003
Review -click here
Trailers, Photos -click here
Spiritual Connections -click
here
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Dial up modems will take a few moments
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| CREDITS |
| Directed
by Steve Carr
Screenplay by Geoff Rodkey
Eddie Murphy .... Charlie Hinton
Angelica Huston .... Mrs. Harridan
Hailey Noelle Johnson .... Becca
Susan Martino .... Sean's Mom
Rest of cast listed alphabetically
Leila Arcieri .... Kelly
Joan M. Blair .... Trailer Park Daycare Owner
Lacey Chabert
Elle Fanning .... Jamie
Jeff Garlin .... Phil
Brie Hill Arbaugh .... Jamie's Mom
Laura Kightlinger
Regina King .... Kim
Michelle Krusiec .... English Teacher
Parker McKenna Posey .... Georgia
Sloane Momsen .... Beth-Anne
David Powledge .... Mr. Carrot
Paul Anthony Reynolds .... Marty
Makenzie Vega .... Bridget
Steve Zahn .... Marvin
Produced
by
Matt Berenson .... producer
Jack Brodsky .... co-producer
John Davis .... producer
Wyck Godfrey .... producer
Dan Kolsrud .... executive producer
Joe Roth .... executive producer
Heidi Santelli .... executive producer
Original Music by David Newman
Cinematography by Steven B. Poster
Film Editing by Christopher Greenbury
MPAA: Rated PG for
language.
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM,
and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG
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| TRAILERS
AND CLIPS |
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| CD
SOUNDTRACK |
Daddy Day Care
Various Artists - Soundtrack - 2003
|
1. Walking
On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves 2. Takin' Care Of Business -
Bachman-Turner Overdrive 3. I Want You Back - Jackson 5 4. Coconut
(Alternate Version) - Harry Nilsson 5. Rhinestone Cowboy (Alternate
Version) - Glen Campbell 6. I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones 7. Kung
Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas 8. Dream Weaver - Gary Wright 9. Ballroom
Blitz - Sweet 10. Surrender - Cheap Trick 11. ABC - Jackson 5 12.
I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow |
| POSTER |
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| AVAILABILITY
ON VIDEO AND DVD |
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|
| SYNOPSIS
|
 The
dads are in charge. And the kids are all right. Charlie
(Eddie Murphy) and Phil (Jeff Garlin) are so consumed by their high
profile advertising jobs that they are completely missing out on
the joys of fatherhood. In the wonderful new family comedy Daddy
Day Care, however, their kids provide them with a crash course in
child rearing, with uproarious and heartwarming results.
After
failing to excite the public about vegetable cereal, Charlie and
Phil are fired from their ad jobs. That means no more expensive
day care for their sons at the exclusive Chapman Academy, run by
the harsh taskmistress Miss Gwyneth Harridan (Anjelica Huston).
While
floundering aimlessly in search of employment and tending to his
four-year-old son Ben (Khamani Griffin) during the day while his
wife Kim (Regina King) is at work, Charlie has an idea. If he and
Phil can handle taking care of two kids, how much harder can it
be to supervise ten?
 Much
harder than they ever imagined. Every kid is different and every
one is a hilarious challenge, whether they're suffering from sugar
rush, fantasizing about being super heroes, or just demolishing
everything in sight, Charlie and Phil soon realize they are in over
their heads. Way over their heads.
But
slowly they get the hang of it and their new venture "Daddy
Day Care" thrives, siphoning kids away from the stuffy Chapman
school. As the number of kids increases, they bring in a third caretaker,
Marvin (Steve Zahn), who seems to speak the children's language,
probably because he's just an overgrown kid himself. They teach
the kids how to read, play games, interact, and have fun at the
same time.
Charlie
and Phil gradually bond with their sons, coming to fully appreciate
the priceless joys of fatherhood.
However,
the better "Daddy Day Care" works, the more threatened
Gwyneth Harridan becomes, which leads to a showdown.
Now
it's the daddies against the baddest mother of them all. |
REVIEW
BY
MIKE FURCHES
mike@furches.org
Web site www.furches.org
Mike is the Senior Pastor at United at the Cross Community Church
in Wichita Kansas. United at the Cross is a church made up of
individuals not often accepted in other churches. The church consists
of former gang members, drug addicts, prostitutes and others.
Mike also speaks nationally on various topics and is a freelance
writer. To learn more about Mike and his ministry link onto www.furches.org.
In the arts Mike has worked with top music artists such as Steppenwolf,
Marshall Tucker Band, Kansas and has an active interest in film.
|
 In
what has to be a daring move, Eddie Murphy, Angelica Huston, Jeff
Garlin and Steve Zahn take on the old movie formula of adults learning
to adjust to kids. The formula has been tried hundreds if not thousands
of times in movies such as Kindergarten Cop, Mr. Mom, and numerous
others. The format is dangerous because the formula depends in large
on the adult actors and actresses being able to work alongside children
while at the same time having a chemistry that is enjoyable and respectful.
Daddy Day Care takes on the challenge with full force and what results
is a movie that families will enjoy a great deal while watching together.
Daddy Day Care has actors that have been all over the movie spectrum.
Eddie Murphy has a tendency of making some movies that are just plain
awful, Doctor Doolittle 2 for example,
while at the same time doing movies that are quite enjoyable like
Bowfinger or his classic donkey character in Shrek.
The same can be said of Angelica Huston, from the terrible, The Buffalo
Girls to the wonderful, Prizzi?s Honor. The less known actors in this
movie have also been at various ends of the spectrum.
 Little
known Jeff Garlin has done mainly television work over the years but
I will honestly say that he is one of the most pleasant surprises
of this movie. He reminds me a great deal of John Goodman but delivers
slapstick comedy much like Chevy Chase. I think that a part of what
makes his role of Phil so enjoyable is the fact that we don?t know
him all that well. He has such a wonderful talent that I hope that
he does not end up getting type cast from this particular role.
Steve Zahn on the other hand is an actor that any serious film buff
will recognize. One of the most unheralded movies over the last few
years is a wonderful little comedy called Happy Texas. But, then again,
what would you expect from an actor who crashed into an audition for
his first lead in the stage production of Biloxi Blues, where he ended
up obtaining the lead role. Zahn has played in many other wonderful
films including, Riding in the Car With Boys, Joy Ride, Saving Silverman,
Hamlet and many others. The actors in the film are top notch, but
would they fail where many other actors have in trying to compete
against a 8 year olds for screen time?
With the above mentioned concerns kudos have to go out to director
Steve Carr who pulls off one of the most enjoyable family movies in
a long time. Not only do each of the above mentioned actors carry
off their responsibilities, they do it with direction that allows
each actor, adult, or child, to fill an appropriate role and at the
same time have a meaningful part in the movie. Not only will you find
yourself laughing, you will find yourself asking questions as to the
important things in life that this film addresses.
 Daddy
Day Care is really a simple premise; two fathers with good paying
jobs loose them. They then decide that they can make ends meet by
opening up a day care, after all, they have children of their own
and taking care of a large number of children couldn?t be much more
difficult. What results is not only an object lesson in the differences
of all children, but the importance of learning to love what you do.
There are other lessons under the surface though, and many of those
lessons are well worth thought.
 Angelica
Huston operates a day care in the movie that Daddy Day Care is going
to be in direct competition with. She plays the deliciously evil character
Mrs. Harridan who operates her own day care called, Chapman Academy.
Chapman is different though, it is more like a school where children
can learn five languages, appropriate sentence structure, and all
of the important historical facts all before the age of six, shucks,
for that matter they start preparing early for the ACT at the ripe
old age of five. If anyone can whip the kids into shape, it is Chapman
Academy. While many may find these scenes humorous, and even over
the edge, I believe that many would find the enticings of Chapman
Academy as something they would want for their own children. It would
certainly be evident from the fact that we continue to push children
further and further down the road to adulthood at earlier and earlier
ages.
 The
trappings of Chapman are things that Charlie, Eddie Murphy, and Phil,
Jeff Garlin, even fall into for a brief moment. It is when they are
forced to consider an alternative form of livelihood that they, themselves
discover the true importance of parenting. That is enjoying the simple
things of being a parent, things like seeing a picture that your son
draws or, helping potty train another. It is having your child ask
for you when they have a nightmare, or seeing another child learn
manners, or yet another overcome their need to be a super hero because
they become confident in who they really are, a child that is loved.
These lessons and many more are things learned by the children in
this movie as adults begin to believe in the abilities and faith of
the children.
This message of simple faith, and the need to be loved help drive
home the message of Jesus Christ who made clear his position on children
numerous times in verses like the following: Matthew 18:3-5 ?I promise
you this. If you don?t change and become like a child, you will never
get into the kingdom of Heaven. But if you are as humble as this child,
you are greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And when you welcome one
of these children because of me, you welcome me.? (Contemporary English
Version) It is as Steve Zahn?s character, Marvin, comes to work with
Daddy?s Day Care that he provides the salvation that the day care
needs in order to maintain operation.
Just as Jesus was a single man, Marvin is also single. He relates
to the children in such a way that they desire to come to him. They
understand his language because he understands them. Despite all of
the conflict that arises from the Department of Human Services, Children?s
Welfare, or even the evil Mrs. Harridan, Marvin has a way with kids
that helps transform not only the children but also the parents around
the children. He also makes every effort at letting his coworkers
know that what they do has value beyond the material things that money
can provide.
 While
there are better paying jobs, nothing can replace the tremendous opportunity
of raising children. Whether a father or a mother, this movie helps
illustrate the wonderful calling that parents have. It also illustrates
the importance of spending time with your children. While there may
end up being some upset with the fact that this movie places such
high value on children and the importance of spending time with them,
one can?t help but reflect on the importance of the message. When
loved, cared for, and paid attention to, children can become beautiful
people of faith, respect, knowledge, and wisdom. There are so many
lessons that adults can learn from them, and maybe, just maybe, Jesus
Christ had some kind of wonderful knowledge when he used them for
such high levels of example for adults.
Is this movie perfect? Simply put, no. I frankly thought that there
was no real need to address the subplot of the competition between
Daddy Day Care and the Chapman Academy. It does however, provide a
wonderful and enjoyable balancing act between entertainment and moral
significance. Daddy Day Care will educate parents on how to be better
and more loving while at the same time, strengthen families all over
the world. Parents can go to this movie with their children and really
enjoy it. While there are moments of crude humor here, there is nothing
really out of bounds. There is a very enjoyable sound track and it
is a great movie for a number of good laughs. If anything, the lessons
learned far outweigh any negatives that may result in this movie.
 There
are two notes that I really want to make before closing. One is that
the children in this movie are among one of the best casts of children
I have ever seen in a movie. I personally can?t think of any movie
that has had this many wonderful child actors. They are all enjoyable
and very talented. This is a wonderful attribute to the director Steve
Carr. The other comment is regarding the joy it is to see fathers
played in the way that the fathers are portrayed in this movie. For
far to long, fathers seem to be portrayed as unloving and uncaring
parents. That is far from the case in Daddy Day Care. Eddie Murphy
and Jeff Garlin both play fathers who openly and genuinely love not
only their children but the children they come into contact with.
While I happened to see this movie on Mother?s Day I couldn?t help
but be reminded of the need for fathers to see this movie together
with their families on Father?s Day. There are so many anticipated
blockbusters to be released this summer. I personally hope that this
movie gets the full measure of attention it deserves to last it out
in the first run movie houses through out the summer season. It certainly
deserves it and is a movie that most people will enjoy for its lessons
as well as its laughs.
On a scale of 1-10, For the members of the band Cheap Trick plus the
two wonderful dads, a very deserving and enjoyable 8. |
Continue:
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-click here
Trailers, Photos -click here
Spiritual Connections -click
here
Forum -click
here |
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