Daddy Day Care (2003) User Reviews

Wholesome Fun

[mrso_ory · 7/10 · 27 August 2013]

This is just a funny and fun movie. And as one user wrote, the chemistry between all the actors and kid actors really makes the movie. We could use more movies like this. Nothing inappropriate either. It is one of those movies that you come away smiling. It's a feel good movie. I imagine if more people would support these kinds of movies maybe Hollywood would make more. I do wonder if there are more people than we think who secretly enjoy a good wholesome movie. And love Steve Zahn. Eddie Murphy is so good when he keeps it clean. He seems genuinely nice and, of course, love his voice for animated characters.

Everyone in the cast really makes this movie charming.

Harmless fun for those who don't need swearing to find something amusing.

[Rob_Taylor · 7/10 · 4 June 2003]

Y'know, it's kind of sad to see some of the comments bemoaning Eddie Murphy for not swearing enough anymore. It's almost as if some people equate foul language with humour. If you're one of those people who thinks a comic sketch is much funnier with swearing in it, then you'll no doubt not like Eddie in this movie.

On the whole, I found DDC to be harmless, unpretentious entertainment aimed at kids, naturally, but with sufficient adult-only gags thrown in to keep the parents happy. In short, a formulaic kids movie designed to keep parents from being bored and kids amused.

The plot is silly, and predictable, but you don't go to these sorts of films looking for deep and meaningful dialogue or witty social commentary. You just go to be entertained. And DDC does deliver on that score.

Of particular amusement is Steve Zahn, as the rather cliched Star Trek geek who is the only one who can speak to one of kids - in Klingon! He does kind of steal a lot of the scenes in which he's in. Anjelica Huston is starting to look real old, but still has that menacing screen presence that no doubt helped land her the role of Mrs Harridan (yep, that really is her name) in this picture. I'm thinking she would have made a much better Cruella de Ville than Glen Close's overacting scenery munching version in 101 Dalmations.

The only thing I found a little irritating about this movie was the number of times a microphone popped into view at the top of the screen. I must have counted at least five instances. I kind of grew used to this in the 80's straight-to-video days, but you don't really expect to see it nowadays, so it was a little annoying.

Other than that, the movie is harmless and fun. And for those that complain about Eddie not swearing enough....this is a KIDS film, you know.

Good Family Entertainment

[mjw2305 · 6/10 · 29 December 2006]

Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin are two fathers who lose their jobs in product development at a large food company and decide to set up their very own day care centre. Using unconventional methods 'Daddy Day Care' starts to catch on, bringing with it the rivalry from Anjelica Huston who runs the Chapman academy and has already driven all the other competitors out of business.

Daddy Day Care really is fun for all the family and has a cast of characters that you will genuinely care about, Murphy, Garlin and Huston; along with the children all give fine performances making Daddy Day Care a hit.

6/10

The Cast (even the kids) are tremendous fun!

[stephen_thanabalan_fans · 7/10 · 3 September 2005]

Casting for this film was brilliant. In fact, it could not have been anything less, given that the final edited product - which boasts of great interplay and chemistry between the crew, cast and the kids- was a great family film (decent, entertaining, and heartfelt). What is particularly nifty is that in this film, like some others including Judge Reinhold's Vice Versa (1988), we get to see a children's movie for adults with both the kids and the adults sharing equal stage presence, which really is splendid.

Eddie Murphy (now into his family man image phase) and fellow co-stars like Steve Zahn (playing yet another geeky role with slick comic timing) really capture the screen with their ability to play such innocently playful and tender roles and when you watch them engage in conversations with the child actors (who must have been a handful to manage), one can tell instantly there was chemistry on and off screen there (even child actors are kids and kids know who to trust) that went on to boost the production set.

The credits even run a series of bloopers which showed the whole cast and crew crying out in laughter after the some of the cherubic kids deliver hilarious comments in between takes. The fun and interaction they must have all shared as a crew unit must have been dewy cheeked wonderful! This boost spills over into the film as one can definitely sense the fun filed atmosphere, and even if someone disagrees they'd definitely agree that there was loads of confetti colour and delightful rainbow filled moments throughout the film, which kind of also is a credit to the originality of this film's screenplay.

First Class family entertainment

[Ben_Cheshire · 6/10 · 21 December 2003]

See this with the whole family. Cute, funny, well-made tale is really an adult movie, though it was marketed as a kids movie. You really care about these characters, and desparately want everything to turn out well for them. A pleasant surprise. Best fun Eddie Murphy movie since Dr Dolittle.

A heartwarming Murphy movie

[Dingataca · 28 September 2007]

After watching this film for about the zillionth time, I have again, been left cheerful, and smiling, by Eddie Murphy. He is the heart of Daddy Day Care.

The little boy who plays Ben, is literally a pro, and so cute. He's great as the sweet, charming, affectionate little boy. Steve Zahn and Jeff Garlin as the friends are great, they give a lot of laughs. Anjelica Huston is pretty good as the villainous rival teacher. All the children featured in the film leave you chuckling, and the adorable little girl who reels off what she is allergic to is memorable.

A pleasure to watch, anytime. Owning the DVD is a must. It is a family-friendly movie, and brilliant for anytime. An amazing comedy.

Surprisingly Not Bad

[christian123 · 4/10 · 13 July 2005]

Daddy Day Care is a nice family film that is entertaining to watch. Charlie and Phil are so consumed by their advertising jobs that they are completely missing out on the joys of fatherhood. After failing to excite the public about vegetable cereal, Charlie and Phil are fired from their ad jobs. While in search of employment and tending to his four-year-old son Ben during the day while his wife Kim 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. But, they will try to manage to pull through and not let Miss Gwyneth Harridan ruin their day care. The plot doesn't sounds great but it does have some potential, Fortunately, it delivered as this is film was actually quite funny. It wasn't over the top funny or Finding Nemo funny but it defiantly can stand on its own. At most times Daddy Day Care may just seem like a film with a bunch of screaming kids and nothing else which isn't true as there are many laughs to be found as well. Eddie Murphy stars and gives quite a funny performance. The real stars of the film though are the little kids. Most of them were funny, some were annoying but they were all tolerable. Regina King plays Kim and she doesn't really appear in the film very much but gives a funny line or two. Steve Zahn was really funny as Marvin. Sure sometimes his character was too stupid to like but it never crosses the line. Anjelica Huston plays the same role I usually see her in, she plays a mean person well but it is tiring seeing her do the same thing. Lacey Chabert has a small but funny role and she is a bit underrated. Jeff Garlin wasn't that good, like when compared to everyone else he was weak and not very funny either. Steve Carr directs and does a decent job, nothing special. I don't know why I liked this movie as much as I did. It was stupid and kind of had a weak story but I still liked it. It does get dull at times, particularly the beginning as it starts off slow but it becomes funnier as the film continues. The running time is 92 minutes so it wouldn't be that much of a punishment to watch. The movie isn't very clever it's a simple film but it does contain enough laughs to entertain most people. Daddy Day Care is also a lot better then The Haunted Mansion. So, if you have a choice between the two, I would go with this one. In the end, this isn't a great film but it might fit the bill if you are in need for a family flick. Rating 6.7/10

So sticky sweet that you might be sick or satisfied, depending on what kind of person you are

[Agent10 · 6/10 · 11 June 2003]

Okay, okay. How exactly do you give a movie like this a horrible grade? It's too cute to call bad, and how can an innocent children's film be considered a corrupted form of entertainment. Well, I guess I'm a sucker. With all of the cute kids, the laughable Star Trek fan (Steve Zahn at his best), and a diverse collection of neurotic characters plays into a movie that was focused-grouped t o the point of near banality. But then again, you can't put this film down simply because the kids were so great. So, I put down Eddie Murphy, who must be longing for the days of Beverly Hills Cop. Sure, he was respectable and funny, but his hard hitting days are well past him. I will say this, Lacey Chabert was absolutely smoking, and Angelica Huston was perfect as the evil school marm.

Eddie hits a new low.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 1/10 · 11 May 2004]

To be honest I still had some respect left for Eddie Murphy before this. He just seemed to have lost his way in the 21st century. But nothing will ever make forgive this. He's just went all 'kiddie' in recent years. And it's sick.

In the 80's Murphy gave us strong African-American characters like Reggie Hammond, Billy Ray Valentine, Axel Foley and Prince Akeem. But that was a long time ago. And it's a shame to see him trade a hard edge for movies like this.

It's so sugary it is literally sickening. It's about as subtle as a brick in the face too. Annoying kids who are obviously reading phonetically off oversized cue-cards held off camera, David Newman's worse than generic 'family movie' score, clockwork predictability and toilet humor (how many more family movies are going to milk fart sounds for all their worth?) are all you can expect from this film.

Staring directly into the sun is not as painful on the eyes as this.

Good & Wholesome Fun

[Ltufano23 · 6/10 · 11 September 2023]

It's easy to forget how funny Eddie Murphy can be, being absent from any big projects in recent years. Films like this are great reminders of the kind of quality comedies that he excels at so easily. With the main plot being the insane idea that men can care for children, there are a few points where this film feels very dated, but remains a cute look back at a not so distant past. The entire cast does a great job at at keeping the fun time rolling and even when the jokes don't particularly land, the performances have such heart that it elevates the film. Being a 2000's comedy, there are plenty of moments where you have to suspend disbelief, but nothing too over the top. You will be lathered in product placement for various pop culture properties, but uses them in a way that feels true and honest in a film about children. With memorable moments, plot, and cast throughout, this is an easy choice when looking for a quick flick.

More tasteless than veggie-o's

[mrliteral · 1/10 · 30 December 2003]

It tells you right up front what kind of 90 minutes you're in for - the over-used, aged, and annoying song "Walkin' on Sunshine" plays over the opening, and PAUSES so we can clearly hear a four year old boy peeing, then flush the toilet. Then the song resumes. This is the focus of the story from this point, and they're just making it clear up front. Partway through there is a pointless flashback, used only to show how a man doesn't like changing diapers. What brilliant screenwriting. What's really funny about this movie is if you take out the jokes about peeing, pooping, farting, falling, kicks to the crotch or other sensitive areas, and change the kids from gremlins who do nothing but run around screaming into more realistic children, it might actually be humorous, but of course it would only be twenty minutes long.

There is not one original sentiment. One of the few times I laughed was when Jeff Garlin's character, in response to how unimpressive their child care license certificate is, says "that's gonna be laminated." Of course, the filmmakers ruin it by having him yell out "LAMINATED" as he leaves that room, making it no longer funny. Steve Zahn does the best he can with an underwritten part, though brilliant comic actor that he is, even he can't do much to rescue this garbage. Eddie Murphy should probably start reading scripts again, because I'm pretty sure he didn't read this one. He saw a potential for comedy and signed up based on that. Unfortunately, no one else bothered to follow through. I recognized this movie for what it was when it came out, and would never have bothered to see it, except someone loaned it to friend of mine and there was nothing else to do that night.

Its a great movie!!!!!!

[avigailbenzagmi · 8/10 · 28 July 2013]

this movie is rated low just because its a comedy. If you check all the movies are comedies rated low (especially Eddie Murphys). Eddie Murphys is an actor who plays amazing and funny in many good movies. This comedy movie is good  for the whole family and very fun to see it t in a family movie night. If you choose not to see this movie because of its rating then you make a big mistake (believe me it's not a waste of time).its music is great. and you will enjoy watching it. I loved this movie sow match i watched it like about four times. this movie is good for all ages and don't be afraid to show it to your kids because its just fine.

Not bad

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 3 September 2010]

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

Daddy Day Care

[studioAT · 5/10 · 16 November 2020]

Like Robin Williams and Steve Martin before him, Eddie Murphy around this time started popping up in these big, broad family comedies.

And to be fair, this isn't bad, with a stellar cast (that boasts people like Steve Zahn and Lacey Chabert in support) helping to lift otherwise sitcom-esque material.

Actually entertaining...

[MLDinTN · 5 April 2004]

to my surprise. This wasn't half bad. The first time in a long time, I've found an Eddie Murphy movie to be OK. Of course, it isn't him that makes this film, but the kids. They were the ones which were funny. How can you not laugh when a little girl kicks a fat guy in the crotch for no reason with her mother by her side. Plus when all the kids are given sugar treats for lunch and are bouncing off the walls. And there are many other scenes like that one.

And Angelica Houston has a worth while cameo as the head of a stuffy, over priced day care that stoops to low stunts to try to put Daddy Day Care out of business.

FINAL VERDICT: Has some funny parts. Kids should like it, but it isn't for everyone. If you like movies that require no usage of brain cells, then you might think this one is good enough to watch.

Good Film!

[g-bodyl · 7/10 · 24 February 2008]

Daddy Day Care is a better-than-expected film. Critics like Ebert disliked this film as well as the viewers. I saw this movie because I was bored and had nothing else to to do. Eddie Murphy plays a father who just got fired from his job and starts a daycare center with the help of his friend. I actually had a pretty good time watching this film. There were plenty of fine performances by the kids who attended the daycare. Other noticeable actors were Jeff Garlin and Steve Zahn. Zahn was funny as the sci-fi geek and Garlin was great as the the friend of Eddie Murphy. The only thing wrong with this film is that this film is not original. These kind of films are in Hollywood all the time now. Also a few more jokes would not hurt. Overall this film is good. I rate this film a 7/10.

If you just want to laugh out loud, this is the movie...

[tammyaphillips · 7/10 · 19 May 2003]

This movie does not pretend to be deep or particularly enlightening, just very, very funny. Two out of work dads who honestly think they can run a daycare without any planning is hysterical. The child actors are excellent, especially the actor who played Ben.

Go and just have a great time.

The son stole the show

[Rogue-32 · 5/10 · 28 May 2003]

Eddie Murphy is great, no matter what he does (well, maybe we could just forget about "Norbit"), and this film is no exception - even though it's predictable and thoroughly unrealistic by anyone's standards, it's still fun because of his winning performance and the performances of several of his co-stars, particularly Khamani Griffin as Murphy's son Ben - where did they find HIM?! Amazing little actor, capable of turning his face into the saddest one you've ever seen, or the happiest, depending on what's called for. And the outtakes at the end are cool too. Murphy has matured beyond his 'angry' stage and he brings a true warmth to this character, very endearing.

loving and sweet family movie

[TaylorYee94 · 7/10 · 31 December 2020]

Each kid in day care is unique in his or her own way. I'm glad that the movie does not treat a bunch of kids as expendables or as a whole. Flash does not want to take his costume off; Becca is smart and sassy; Nicky speaks his own language. Somewhat annoying, eccentric, but very common characteristics you can find in children are distributed to each kid, making this movie more fun and emphasizing the core value that every kid is different.

Acting is great: both adults and kids. This is what makes the film more adorable and funny.

Daddy Day Care

[jboothmillard · 4/10 · 21 May 2008]

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!

Controlled Eddie Murphy, funny Jeff Garlin, adorable kids

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 15 June 2014]

Charlie (Eddie Murphy) and Kim Hinton (Regina King) bring Ben to try out for the expensive Chapman Academy. Kim is going back to work. Gwyneth Harridan (Anjelica Huston) is the head mistress. Jenny (Lacey Chabert) is one of the teachers. Charlie and co-worker Phil (Jeff Garlin) both get fired. Charlie pulls Ben out of Chapman. Charlie and Phil turn into Mr Moms. Charlie has an idea to start Daddy Day Care with Phil. As the guys get more successful, Harridan starts to notice and she takes on Daddy Day Care. When they get too many kids, they hire weirdo Marvin (Steve Zahn) who turns out to be good with kids.

Seeing Jeff Garlin and Eddie Murphy get hit again and again can be funny or repetitive. It's a bit of both in this case. Eddie Murphy is playing it more reserved than usual. Jeff Garlin is funny. The kids are all rambunctious and cute. Some will notice a young Elle Fanning. It's not terribly original copying quite a few jokes from Mr Mom. It has a couple of funny moments and a nice film overall.

sad to see Murphy like this, Garlin is better in this... not impressive

[PersianPlaya408 · 5/10 · 8 August 2005]

Daddy Day Care directed by Steve Carr, starring Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King Carrs comedy about two dads (Murphy and Garlin) who start a daycare business is a bit lame, but has its moments. THe film had a couple funny parts, but for the most part was a poorly directed and unoriginal comedy. Eddie Murphy had some funny moments, but a great performance at all from him, Jeff Garlin was actually funnier and better in this flick, and Steve Zahn as usual was the highlight of the film. It was an unoriginal script which didn't do the capable actors justice. The film is not a recommendation of mine, unless you like the typical kid mess film which was done better in Cheaper by the Dozen. 5/10

A more subdued Eddie shows that less IS more..

[canuckteach · 9/10 · 2 February 2008]

Caught this today on DVD with a buddy's grand-kids, and was pleasantly surprised. I have given it 9 out of 10, not for pure artistic merit, but as a funny 'family-film'. Certainly, the current rating here at IMDb is pessimistic. There are only 2 or 3 decent films of this sort produced annually in Hollywood, the rest being utter trash.

Eddie Murphy plays a more subdued role than we might expect as a high-powered 'player' in the ad game, with little time for his family. A sudden change finds him desperate for work or an enterprise, in a plot ploy reminiscent of Michael Keaton's "Mr. Mom". The unfolding action finds Eddie scrambling to operate a day care facility with frenetic partners Jeff Garlin and, later, Steve Zahn. Murphy allows that duo to handle the slapstick end of things. He remains the thinker and the one who calms the waves of lunacy, allowing the plot to move forward to the next challenge facing our heroes.

The satirical side of this story is shown by examining the competing (snotty) daycare center of the always-delightful Angelica Huston, reprising her 'vampy villainess' role of "Ever After". She runs a sophisticated academy for toddlers that Fraser and Niles Crane might envy (but it really needs to be taken down a peg or two).

Refreshing, too, is the portrayal of the daycare inspector unleashed on Eddie by Huston. Instead of the typical clichéd grump who threatens and hollers, we get a tender, supportive fella who really wants the boys to succeed (we find out why at the end - watch the puppet show carefully!).

Garlin is the closest thing I've seen to a replacement for our departed and dear John Candy, a slightly over-sized actor who can combine tenderness with slapstick! Zahn was an unusual sidekick fit as 'Giordino' to McConaughey's 'Dirk Pitt' in "Sahara", and, here as a hapless Trekkie, impresses with his comedic timing.

Other notables pop up in supporting roles, and the kids are terrific. Enjoy!

Final word to other actors of (former) glory: check your ego at the door, share the limelight with a great supporting cast and find a real script with likable or compelling characters. in no particular order.

Nothing Breathtaking, but Average Family Fun,

[lesleyharris30 · 7/10 · 5 May 2020]

Daddy Day Care is a reasonably good movie with a nicely developed plot and a solid cast. The highlight of the film is without a doubt Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin in the lead roles, they are both clearly having a load of fun on screen together and their chemistry is infectious, making for an enjoyable riot as we watch the duo try to manage a host of manic children.

It certainly does not do anything overtly interesting or fresh with its concept, being quite a by the numbers family film, there are moments where you feel like it's about to have a voice, till it immediately shys away from it. Nothing groundbreaking, but enjoyable. While there's nothing to write home about, Daddy Day Care is a solid fun, innocent family adventure that is heightened by Murphy and Garlin's chemistry.

Two best friends start a child caring business, but higher ups will stop at all costs to shut them down.

Best Performance: Eddie Murphy

Worse than it seems...

[Fyodor_Karamazov · 3/10 · 12 June 2003]

I ultimately decided to give this film a chance despite its awful critical reviews based upon my experience that low-brow comedies are often brutally panned when in fact they achieve precisely what they set out to achieve by providing low-brow laughs. Roger Ebert is one of my favorite film critics, a guy who does not normally hold all films against the requirements for excellence, but after I finished viewing the recent low-IQ comedy "Old School" for the second time in a row, I was disappointed that Ebert hated it so much. Thus, I figured how bad could "Daddy Day Care" really be?

The answer: really bad. Really, really bad.

You could do worse ("Wrong Turn" may still be playing at a theatre near you), but this is just the sort of formulaic Hollywood psuedo-family comedy that is so tried and true it should work, but falls short in every laughless scene. The formula is remarkable similar to films like "Liar, Liar", except this one simply doesn't have the same oomph that made that stupid comedy somewhat watchable. Most of the adult actors appear bored with the picture themselves and probably angry with their agents for letting them sign the contracts, and the only amusing moments are provided by a few of the children (a la "Kindergarten Cop") and surprisingly by Steve Zahn as a socially-challenged Star Trek/comic book geek who just so happens to deal extraordinarily well with children. (When asked why, he responds, "I read Dr. Spock's book on child development. It's not about Star Trek!")

Some might advise you wait until video or DVD for this one, but I suggest you only view the trailer - it literally contains the only good parts to the film.

3/10