Average Rating: 4.8/10
Reviews Counted: 112
Fresh: 43 | Rotten: 69
Despite a promising turn by newcomer Yara Shahidi, Imagine That is another pedestrian family comedy that squanders Eddie Murphy's comedic talents.
Average Rating: 5.6/10
Critic Reviews: 24
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 12
Despite a promising turn by newcomer Yara Shahidi, Imagine That is another pedestrian family comedy that squanders Eddie Murphy's comedic talents.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.6/5
User Ratings: 261,149
A powerful financial executive whose career was sent spiraling down the drain due to sudden lack of confidence finds the answers to his inexplicable setback in an imaginary world dreamt up by his young daughter in a fantasy comedy starring Eddie Murphy and co-scripted by Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson (the writing duo behind Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Jun 12, 2009 Wide
Oct 6, 2009
$16.1M
Paramount Studios
All Critics (114) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (69) | DVD (4)
This is a fairly likable family comedy.
[A] misguided, poorly executed family disaster.
Cutesy? My pain was acutesy as the entire plot yawned before me.
Fortunately, the picture's not-so-secret weapon, star Eddie Murphy, gives this uneven effort a reason for being.
Imagine That has a few nagging problems, none of which is Eddie Murphy's fault.
Given the movie's early creative promise, the ending is disappointingly trite.
It's silly enough that its target audience should get a kick out of it and its bearable for adults, and as far as family films go that's a lot better than you can usually expect.
You might chuckle a couple of times, but it is literally a couple, and that's nowhere near enough humour, especially for kids.
[Murphy] continues to treat his career like it were a game of limbo, as Imagine That sees the once gifted comedian stoop to a horrendous new low.
Murphy's heart is in the right place here, if a little on the predictably unrepentant prankster side, as he does an emotionally absentee, pretending-to-listen kind of dad, simply not into the whole parenting thing.
Imagine That is an embarrassment from which only Thomas Haden Church emerges unscathed, because he is the only one to commit fully to his eccentric character.
Worthwhile, as long as you're willing to watch Eddie Murphy play the straight man.
Murphy struggles to find work in other genres, but given the way he indulges himself with funny faces and voices, it's equally possible that he genuinely likes acting alongside children.
An uncharacteristically restrained performance by Eddie Murphy, a sharply funny supporting role filled by Thomas Haden Church, and a beguiling new child actor, Yara Shahidi, make this fantasy-comedy about the power of imagination agreeable enough.
Ham fisted and formulaic, Imagine That nevertheless has some endearing qualities to save it from the trash can %u2013 notably Yara Shahidi, the cute little bundle whose smartly innocent presence and likeable little face are so loved by the camera that dir
Eddie Murphy, in his hyperactive comedic guise, is in fine fettle in this family-friendly comedy, although he is largely upstaged by his enchanting 7 year old co-star Yara Shahidi, who steals scenes as quickly as Murphy talks.
Twenty years ago it would've been hard to imagine that the typical formula for an Eddie Murphy vehicle would have changed so dramatically.
It's a sad reflection on Eddie Murphy's career that the best thing you can say about Imagine That is that there aren't any fat suits.
[A] characteristically laboured comedy.
It's anodyne stuff and not funny enough.
Imagine That is a sweet surprise of a film that goes some way to restoring Murphy's reputation.
Murphy at least tries to stay in character rather than overdoing the silly voices and physical knockabout, but maybe the material was so blah that he felt it wasn't worth the effort.
Short of laughs, sense and morality, this is an awkward, peculiar, peculiarly American, endeavour.
You're left with the feeling that the film-makers don't see a conflict between the profit motive and paternal love.
There really isn't a spark of genuine humour or life in the entire thing, and the movie grinds its way to a syrupy finale.
it couldve been funnier, but its a safe family friendly comedy film that is entertaining for the whole family
May 22, 2011Super Reviewer
A horrid family film. While the child star is convincing, Eddie Murphy was so bad in this film. He was both a terrible father and buisnessman! A film so bad, it makes "The Game Plan" look like "Raiders of the Lost Ark"! When your career is down the drain, make kids movies!
December 29, 2010
Super Reviewer
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