Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

Daddy's Little Girls Blu-ray Movie Review

"Just let me get my kids man, just let me get my kids."

Reviewed by Casey Broadwater September 20, 2009

I’ll say this for Tyler Perry—the man keeps busy. Since his first critically panned and audience approved success with Diary of a Mad Black Woman, the actor slash playwright slash director slash media mogul has churned out one comedic, inspirational film after another, produced 100 episodes of his House of Payne sitcom for TBS, written a book, and opened Tyler Perry Studios, the industry’s first African-American-owned movie studio. From an abusive family background to raking in somewhere to the tune of $75 million last year, Perry seems to be the very definition of a self-made man. Yet, for all the power he wields—how many directors can claim to have full ownership of all their films?—it’s clear that success hasn’t gone to his head. His films are life-affirming tales of community, faith, and family, filled with hope and positive African- American role models. As much as I’m down with his message, I just can’t get past his moralizing methods. Daddy’s Little Girls is a good example. The film has heart, there’s no doubt about that, but it trades genuine emotion for sentimental slush and goes all didactic on us in the process, spelling out its morals in oversized, too easy to read block letters.

Hard working auto mechanic Monty James (Idris Elba) may not have the most time for his three kids—they’ve been raised by their maternal grandma—but he’s been diligent in supporting them, popping by as often as he can to slip g-ma a few hundred bucks and take the girls out for some father/daughter bonding time. When grandma dies of lung cancer—the camera literally lingers on an ashtray filled with cigs while an honest-to-goodness death knell tolls out in the rear speakers— Monty brings the girls to live with him in his meager apartment. To make ends meet, he takes a part time gig chauffeuring Julia Rossmore (Gabrielle Union), one of those high-powered attorneys who “wins every case,” to and from the county courthouse. All this overtime work means the girls are left alone, and when the youngest one accidentally starts a fire, child protective services places the three with their mother, Monty’s ex-wife Jennifer (Tasha Smith), a no-good ho who now lives in a pimped-out penthouse suite with the neighborhood drug czar. Yeah, not the best place for kids. Jennifer sues for complete custody, and it looks like she might win. If only there were a successful attorney who could represent Monty pro-bono and get his kids back. Hmmm.

From the moment all the characters are introduced, you’ll have no question about the narrative’s inevitable end point. There were a few times when I thought that maybe, just maybe Tyler Perry would pull a fast one on me, but no. Tide tables and atomic clocks could be set by the plot’s predictable beats. Will the uptight, six-figure-salaried lawyer loosen up and fall for the lowly mechanic once she sees how much he loves his kids? Will her upwardly mobile female friends chastise her for dating a guy from the hood? Will the bitchy ex-wife and her drug-peddling sugar daddy prove unsuitable as parents? And will justice come to the deserving while the good guys get a favorable ruling of “happily ever after?” Tune in this week to find out what you already know. The film’s one surprise—the particulars of Monty’s sullied past—is a total waste, a contrivance used to generate some late-in-the-game tension between the two new lovebirds.

For every seen-it-coming plot development there’s a moment of equally overstated sentiment. The music, in particular, tries way too hard to sell pre-fabricated emotions. Just listen to the dulcet lullaby that plays when Monty keeps watch over his kids as they sleep. The moralizing is just as bald-faced. Characters have a tendency to speak in neatly packaged quips, like “there’s no sin in getting weary; the sin is in giving up,” or “the devil never wins unless you don’t fight,” or “ain’t nothin’ given to you—you have to take it.” Thirty minutes into the film, the sermonizing reaches a zenith with an actual sermon, delivered just in time to lift Monty’s wearied spirits. I’m not trying to be cynical—sermons can change lives and inspirational messages are sometimes literal godsends to the downtrodden—but in the context of the film, it just isn’t earned. And this begs the related question of overall tone. As a romantic drama/comedy (rom- dramedy?), Daddy’s Little Girls is often too cute for its own good. The humor has the effect of undercutting the drama, making Monty’s plight seem weightless and inconsequential. One minute we get barf jokes and vibrator-in-the-medicine-cabinet sight gags, and the next we’re supposed to really feel for Monty as he fights the system for his kids.

The performances are just as mixed as the emotions. Played by actual sisters China, Lauryn, and Sierra McClain, the kids are precocious—sometimes to a fault—but the child actors do a fine enough job here. Gabrielle Union is more difficult to fall for, as her character’s personality reversal feels expected but unearned, a bit like the film itself. And Tasha Smith goes way over the top— like, up in the stratosphere—as bad mom and queen bee of the drug hive. The production’s sole anchor is the excellent Idris Elba, best known for his turn as narcotics kingpin Stringer Bell on HBO’s The Wire, a show that occasionally told similar inner-city stories to Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, but with much more empathy, honesty and insight.

Daddy's Little Girls Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Daddy's Little Girls looks all grown up on Blu-ray, dressed in a fine 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer. No, the film doesn't appear as sharp and dimensional as some productions, but for a relatively low-budgeted drama/comedy, I was impressed by the image on display. Close-ups show fine texture—see the stubble on Idris Elba's face or the fine threading of his polo shirt—and the overall sense of clarity is good, with detail apparent in both foreground and background objects. You will note a few softer shots, but this is definitely a focus problem and not a transfer issue. The film has a nice warm tone, and while there are few truly vivid hues—see the purple-robed preacher standing in front of a red curtain or the interior of the blues club for exceptions—colors are fairly deep and stable throughout. Contrast is slightly hot at times, but this suits the feel of the picture, and black levels are strong, while preserving details in the shadows. The presentation is topped off with a thin and pleasing grain structure that adds to the film's warmth.

Daddy's Little Girls Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Once again, Lionsgate comes through with a fantastic 7.1 PCM uncompressed audio track. As Daddy's Little Girls is a fairly quiet drama/romance/comedy, you may not see the need for the extras channels, and to an extent that's true. There's a good bit of subtle ambience in the surrounds—street sounds, wind rustling though the cemetery, courthouse chatter—but there are very few discrete effects. As far as dynamics are concerned, the track is rock solid, especially during the many R 'n B songs that pepper the film. Bass response is cinched and clear, snare hits snap with punchy clarity, and the overall sound is round and mellow. Dialogue seems a bit low in a few scenes —the opening sequences in Willy's garage, for instance—but after bumping my volume up and leaving it that way, I had no problems. This won't shake your windows or rattle your walls, but it sounds better than most similar films.

Daddy's Little Girls Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Commentary by Tyler Perry
You may not like his films, but it's hard to deny Tyler Perry's talent for tenacity. The man has single-handedly built up a small media empire, and it seems like he's always got at least two or three projects on his plate. In this commentary track, Perry discusses production details, the story's genesis, casting, and the freeing aspect of not having to simultaneously juggle being behind and in front of the camera. Perry fans might enjoy the look into the man's personality, but general audiences won't really miss anything by skipping this track.

Extended Church Scene (1080p, 7:50)
You want the full sermon? You got the full sermon. I'm not sure why this isn't just lumped in with the deleted scenes though.

Atlanta Aquarium: Working Underwater (1080p, 2:19)
Tyler Perry talks about talks about being the first film crew to ever shoot at the Georgia Aquarium, the second largest aquarium in the world.

Tyler's Team: Cast and Characters (1080p, 14:05)
Perry breaks down the characters for us here, and discusses how he likes to bring legends in— hence the presence of Academy Award winner Lou Gossett, Jr.—to work with young, up-and- coming casts.

Introducing the McClain Sisters (1080p, 4:23)
The three precocious sisters give a short interview and various cast members chime in about how adorable and amazing they are.

Touring the Sets (1080p, 6:03)
Production designer Ina Mayhew gives us a tour of the two wildly different apartment sets used in the movie and explains some of the techniques used to make them look lived in and worn.

Conducting Chaos: The Riot Scene (1080p, 6:50)
Perry bemoans the lack of community in modern America and raises the question of what would happen if people started taking their back their neighborhoods. Producer Reuben Cannon and First A.D. Roger M. Bob go on to explain the shooting of the climatic riot scene.

The Oakland Cemetery (1080p, 5:28)
Tyler Perry talks about his love affair with Atlanta, Georgia, and historian Sam Reed gives some background info about The Oakland Cemetery.

Deleted Scenes (1080p, 21:09)

Gag Reels (1080p, 4:44)
Yes, reels, plural. I'm not sure why these were split in half, but there are a few funny moments.

Uncut (1080p, 4:20 total)
Here you'll find The Office alum Craig Robinson doing his thing as 40-P/Lord Byron in three extended cameo scenes.

More (1080i, 1:08)
A promo for Perry's House of Payne sitcom.

Daddy's Little Girls Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"I just want my kids back!" Anyone remember that Tom Jane episode of Arrested Development? Anyone? Anyway, Tyler Perry continues to rake in the box office cash while confounding critics. Maybe we should all just lighten up. In all honesty, I appreciate that Perry is so focused on improving communities and strengthening families. I just wish he made better films. If you're already a fan, Daddy's Little Girls is a no-brainer on Blu-ray, with excellent picture quality, a surprising (if underused) 7.1 uncompressed audio track, and a host of extra features. The uninitiated, however, should do some research or stick with a rental.