Daddy Day Care MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: +1/2

In Daddy Day Care, Charlie (Eddie Murphy), and Phil (Jeff Garlin), are two recently unemployed dads in desperate need of work and regaining their self-esteem. Charlie discovers, while spending his days at home with his son, Ben (Khamani Griffin), the apparent lack of competitive, high quality child-care in the area, and convinces Phil to join him in a gold-mine endeavor. The two inept dads start Daddy Day Care to compete with the hard-nosed and bitter Miss Gwyneth Harridan (Anjelica Huston) who spends her days making children's lives miserable. Though Charlie and Phil expect the job to be a breeze, the two businessmen soon realize they can't manage children the same way they had managed their offices. Finally, the duo hires Marvin (Steve Zahn), a wacky Trekkie with a knack for kids. Marvin helps them identify with the children, which leads to the huge success of Daddy Day Care.

This easy-going movie from Columbia Pictures is a cute, fun-filled family comedy. Unfortunately, Daddy Day Care seems to lack something. Though it was very humorous at times, it left the viewer wanting a little more amusement and laughter, even if it meant sacrificing some of the cuteness. Apart from a few profanities and some bathroom humor, the film is comparatively clean and even has some positive messages. Though the dads start off unbelievably inept, in the end they have each developed better parenting skills and improved family values. Charlie learns to actually communicate with his son instead of just dismissing him and Phil learns to deal with the unpleasant veracity of being a kid. The most positive message was the value change in Charlie's life. In the beginning of the movie he is devoted to work and earning money while missing out on his child's life, but in the end he sacrifices a better paying job to spend time with his son and continue providing Daddy Day Care.

Preview Reviewer: Shaun Daugherty
Distributor: Columbia Pictures