Imagine That (2009)
I know this is a kiddie movie, but I’d like to point out something that has never, to my knowledge, been praised: Eddie Murphy as a role model. His early stand-up days have carried a stigma with him through the decades, but since he switched over to “kiddie movies”, he’s embodied characters that show a very positive image for children. He’d played a doctor, a financial advisor, an advertising executive, a college professor, a literary agent, and a realtor. All of those professions require higher education or certification. For African-American children to see a stable father figure acting in such professions, it’s very inspiring. Countless children live in poverty without a strong, steady male presence to guide them. Seeing men in their community with low-wage jobs, or who are getting into trouble on the streets, can make children feel that those unsatisfactory ends are their only options in life. All children are susceptible to what they see on the big screen (which is why it’s so important to teach good lessons in films), and seeing Eddie Murphy as an intelligent, highly educated man with a high paying job in movie after movie after movie provides hope and higher goals. Eddie Murphy never gets congratulated for motivating children, and I think he should be.
Alright, I’ll put aside my film history degree and focus on Imagine That, which might be my favorite Eddie Murphy movie. He plays a divorced workaholic with a strained relationship with his ex-wife, Nicole Ari Parker. During a particularly tough week at work, Nicole drops their daughter, Yara Shahidi, on his doorstep. Poor Yara knows she’s unwanted and she tends to retreat to her own private world with princesses and dragons, surrounded by her security blanket. What starts as her security blanket becomes Eddie’s literal “securities” blanket when Yara tells him that her magical princesses have tips on the stock market. The tips prove correct, and he asks for more. The only way to get more is to ask the princesses himself, which means he has to actually spend time with and play with his daughter.
Their scenes together are so adorable and heartwarming. If you’re a divorced dad, you don’t stand a chance at keeping your eyes dry during this movie. From singing songs together to making a mess in the kitchen creating “kinda burnt pancakes and really burnt pancakes” to talking about school to bringing her to work, this movie is one giant lesson in parent-child bonding. Yara is as cute as a button, and she has such great chemistry with her “dad” it’s easy to imagine them playing together between takes.
In the supporting cast, you’ll see Martin Sheen, Ronny Cox, Richard Schiff, and a side-splittingly funny performance from Thomas Haden Church. For a movie that will make you laugh and cry (and this recommendation is coming from someone who doesn’t even like children), rent this great family flick. I’ve added quite a few household phrases from this movie, and I’ve seen it probably twenty times!
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. The first time Eddie spins around with the blanket over his head, the camera spins for a few seconds, and it will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Eddie Murphy movies here!
Alright, I’ll put aside my film history degree and focus on Imagine That, which might be my favorite Eddie Murphy movie. He plays a divorced workaholic with a strained relationship with his ex-wife, Nicole Ari Parker. During a particularly tough week at work, Nicole drops their daughter, Yara Shahidi, on his doorstep. Poor Yara knows she’s unwanted and she tends to retreat to her own private world with princesses and dragons, surrounded by her security blanket. What starts as her security blanket becomes Eddie’s literal “securities” blanket when Yara tells him that her magical princesses have tips on the stock market. The tips prove correct, and he asks for more. The only way to get more is to ask the princesses himself, which means he has to actually spend time with and play with his daughter.
Their scenes together are so adorable and heartwarming. If you’re a divorced dad, you don’t stand a chance at keeping your eyes dry during this movie. From singing songs together to making a mess in the kitchen creating “kinda burnt pancakes and really burnt pancakes” to talking about school to bringing her to work, this movie is one giant lesson in parent-child bonding. Yara is as cute as a button, and she has such great chemistry with her “dad” it’s easy to imagine them playing together between takes.
In the supporting cast, you’ll see Martin Sheen, Ronny Cox, Richard Schiff, and a side-splittingly funny performance from Thomas Haden Church. For a movie that will make you laugh and cry (and this recommendation is coming from someone who doesn’t even like children), rent this great family flick. I’ve added quite a few household phrases from this movie, and I’ve seen it probably twenty times!
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. The first time Eddie spins around with the blanket over his head, the camera spins for a few seconds, and it will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Eddie Murphy movies here!