Eddie Murphy, who used to score points off Bill Cosby and Mr. Rogers, enlarged his profitable new sideline as a kiddie matinee idol (
Dr. Dolittle) with this innocuous 2003 comedy about a marketing executive who gets laid off and decides to open a home day-care facility. Most of the humor is of the kick-daddy-in-the-shins variety, though Anjelica Huston has a few choice moments as "Ms. Harridan," the smug proprietor of a rigid private academy. Steve Carr (
Dr. Dolittle 2) directed; with Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, and Leila Arcieri.
By
J.R. Jones