Product Details

• Actors: Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, Anjelica Huston, Steve Zahn, Regina King
• Directors: Steve Carr
• Writers: Geoff Rodkey
• Producers: Dan Kolsrud, Heidi Santelli, Jack Brodsky, Joe Roth, John Davis
• Format: PAL
• Language: English, German
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000DG5LP
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #645,581 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There are some good laughs to be found in Daddy Day Care, especially if you're a preschooler with energy to burn. This romper-room comedy shamelessly exploits its high concept idea--dropping Eddie Murphy into a seething den of rugrats--but kids will have plenty of vicarious fun as Murphy and his fellow laid-off colleague (Jeff Garlin) battle unemployment by opening a day-care center in Eddie's home. In partial Witches mode, Anjelica Huston hams it up as a day-care competitor bent on closing Eddie down, while doofus extraordinaire Steve Zahn is recruited as a third partner in "Daddy Day Care," trying his best to entertain a pack of hyperactive kids who've stopped taking their Ritalin. Zahn makes a funny Star Trek fan (even when the script contains bogus Trekkie trivia), and Murphy deserves credit for giving his all in a comedy that mostly squanders his talent. Indeed, is Daddy Day Care a comedy or every parent's nightmare? Daring viewers can decide for themselves. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker

The promising premise of two out-of-work dads (Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin) who open up a "guy" day-care center sputters to a halt in this tepid comedy, clumsily directed by Steve Carr. The film is a series of pratfalls and toilet jokes aimed to please only the "Rugrats" demographic. Not even the considerable talents of Steve Zahn (as a gifted recruit who joins the staff) and Anjelica Huston (as the snooty mistress of a competing school) can save the day. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Family Fun, October 17, 2003

By 

James Duckett (St. George, Utah) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daddy Day Care (Special Edition) (DVD)

As a co-owner of a daycare, and being male, I was really interested in catching this movie.

First of all, the kids are really cute. Especially the kid who plays Ben, Eddie Murphy's "son". But the entire cast of kids did a fantastic job.

I love Eddie Murphy so I wasn't surprised to be entertained by his antics (he has the best facial expressions in everything he does, very likeable). But I also wanted to applaud Steve Zhan who did fantastic as a Star Trek geek. I guess he stood out for me because he reminded me so much of myself especially when around fellow Trekkies.

As a daycare provider, I did find some things entertaining. I've heard the horror stories from parents looking for a daycare, so the scene of Ben's parents trying to find a new daycare was quite funny. The scenes of the house being destroyed... oh, there is no way around that with a group of kids. You've got the inspector who we need to deal with on a regular basis (of course, we had to pass inspection BEFORE opening unlike this movie, but it was fun to see the interaction with the inspector).

One of the things that made me go, "yeah right" was the competition aspec. No, I'm sorry, Day Care is not a cut-throat business. Actually, there is a lot of business to go around and there seems to be no dominate player that nobody can raise a candle to. That idea was very laughable to me, and I'm sure to anybody else who catches this movie. But the plot would be thin without this aspect, so I can somewhat understand. But I should deduct a star for the very idea...

...But I won't, and only because of the one thing I appreciate most about this movie. Other than some brief questionable parts, this was a fairly clean movie that you can feel comfortable having the entire family watch. Bravo for making a family movie, more need to be made. It was nice to watch a movie and not grimace or have to turn it off because I'm sitting next to my son. Hopefully some of the Hollywood Execs take note as the success of this movie.

I would recommend this to anybody.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GOOD CLEAN FUN!, September 24, 2003

By 

Shirley Priscilla Johnson "Author/Reviewer -... (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

My friend brought this over for us to watch and my husband gave me the "look" as he slowly settled down to watch.
I could hear him groan, "Oh no! How long is this movie? It's about what?", but by the end of the showing even he was smiling.
Eddie Murphy does an excellent job of playing Charlie, a man who lost his job when his 'Veggie-O" cereal line did not make the production line. After being dismissed he and his friend Phil decide they will open a Day Care Center! Ah.......now the fun begins as the Dad's take on the everyday antics of the little ones and the wrath of one Mrs. Harridan, owner of a more 'uptown' Day Care Center that seems to be losing it's student to "Daddy Day Care."Angelica Huston, who plays the part of Mrs. Harridan, does an outstanding job as the villian in this flick.
There were quite a few chuckles from many scenes in this movie and the children were absolutely adorable! Reminded me a little of the movie "Three Men and A Baby", only this was three men and 14 babies and more! I enjoyed this movie, it was clean, fun and left you with a good feeling! Good job to all the actors, even the little ones!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant-enough evening out for the family, May 27, 2003

By 

bensmomma "bensmomma" (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

I took the whole family, hubby kids and all, to see this, and it was an entirely acceptable evening out for everyone. It's not much higher in quality (writing, acting, etc.) than your average TV sitcom but the premise you came to see (Eddie Murphy plays with some kids) is played out predictably and amusingly, right down to the potty jokes.

Sadly Angelica Houston is wasted in a badly-written part as the villainous headmistress of a rival snooty daycare `Academy.'