Lynn Wloszek

All DVD reviews are written by Central Michigan Life staff writers who
have nothing better to do with their time than sit at home and watch the
latest movies on video.

DVD Reviews use a four-star rating system:
* * * * — excellent
* * * — good
* * — fair
* — wack

“Daddy Day Care”
Disc: One disc, full and widescreen versions
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Steve Zahn, Anjelica Huston
Director: Steve Carr

Movie: Who would have thought after nearly 20 years the streetwise, smart-talking “Beverly Hills Cop” would run a day care?

After being fired from his cushy job, Charlie Hinton (Murphy) finds himself
hopelessly unemployed. Unable to find a decent day care for his four-year-old
son, Charlie, along with a fellow unemployed friend, decide to start their
own.

The two quickly learn that taking care of kids isn’t an easy job.

“Daddy Day Care” is a hybrid of “Look Who’s Talking” and “Kindergarten
Cop.” Although there is a strong plot reliance on pervious conventions, there
are a few genuinely comic and original moments. The antics of the two fathers
is at times exaggeratedly overzealous, at others they are extremely amusing.
* * 1/2 out of * * * *

DVD: The special features included on the disc include a short computer-animated
feature by Sony Pictures Imageworks “Early Bloomer,” about baby tadpoles
turning into frogs. There are also four different featurettes all serving
up the inside scoop on the film from the children’s perspective. Three different
interactive games, a blooper reel and trailers are also all included on the
DVD.

The highlight of the DVD is the “Early Bloomer” which while good, has miles to go before competing with Pixar.

The majority of the featurettes are a waste of time, serving no substantial
purpose or providing any major insights with the exception of the “Quiet
on the Set” segment, which gives a look into what it is like to shoot a film
with a large ensemble of child actors.

The bloopers reel is a joke, and not a funny one at that. The feature comes off as overly cheap and tacky.

The days of the wild and spontaneous Eddie Murphy are dwindling, now instead
being substituted for interaction between himself, talking animals and young
kids. In actuality, the film is better and provides more entertainment then
many would assume, and is worth checking out. Although the DVD is aimed,
designed and targeted towards children, it brings disgrace to the label of
“special edition,” because there is nothing special or extraordinary about
the DVD. * 1/2 out of * * * * —Amy Farr

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