I never noticed this movie around the time it came out, but I think Eddie Murphy is always worth a look, so I belatedly did just that.

I thought this movie was okay, but it didn’t grab me by the heart like I think it meant to, and I am not sure why. They drew a deep character in Mr. Church, making him compassionate and loyal on one hand, but complex in other ways such as coming home drunk and aggressive. There were a couple other minor revelations about him that never felt tied together or explained to me.

I liked the direction two of the men in Charlie’s life went because of interaction with her, and so it seemed almost wasted to have the father of her child be a throwaway character who didn’t want anything to do with his own child. I guess it was to follow the example of her mother. It seemed like a shortcut in the plot and I wonder if it could have given more tension to bring the fatherhood more into focus.

Still, this was an earnest attempt to make a feel good movie and though I will not watch it again, I will not discourage anyone else from watching it.