Eddie Murphy is winning compliments from religious press critics for
David Dicerto (Catholic News Service) says, "Though the fish-out-of-water plot is mired by a schmaltzy ending … director Steve Carr's film is buoyed by its heartwarming—albeit heavy-handed—affirmation of fatherhood."
Loren Eaton (Focus on the Family) says, "
Michael Elliott (Movie Parables) writes, "There's an undeniable sweetness to the film, as well as a surprising emotional depth to the relationships formed between the characters. Murphy connects with the children and they with him. … Even though the end is overly predictable, the ride is a family-friendly enjoyable romp."
Movieguide's critic calls it "nearly perfectly wholesome."
from Film Forum, 05/29/03Last week, religious press film critics praised Eddie Murphy's new film as the cleanest and most moral movie of his career in comedy. But according to J. Robert Parks (The Phantom Tollbooth), "clean" does not necessarily mean "good."
Parks writes, "The film's first half hour … is a nightmare. Not only do the jokes fall with a resounding thud, but the characters and situations are hopelessly generic and predictable. Once the movie actually focuses on the day care center, I found myself entertained. But just when I thought