Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Imagine That Blu-ray Movie Review

An under-the-radar Family Comedy earns a sparkling Blu-ray release.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 24, 2009

Ain't nothin' but a thing.

Imagine that. An Eddie Murphy Comedy with heart, and it didn't get its just due. Though something of an under-the-radar picture and released in the midst of the summer 2009 blockbuster season in the shadows of Star Trek, Angels & Demons, Terminator Salvation, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Up, and The Hangover, it's no surprise the movie flopped not based on its own merits but under the avalanche of competition that devoured anything in its path. Earning back less than a third of its budget in domestic gross, the film seemingly vanished from theaters without a trace and now arrives on home video with little fanfare. That's a shame, because Imagine That is a touching, funny, and magical Family Comedy, and the best live-action Eddie Murphy film to come along since The Nutty Professor.

Caution: imagination at work.

Financial advisor Evan Danielson (Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave) is finding it difficult to balance his work life with his family life. Running on all cylinders in the office and trying to deal with his daughter Olivia's (Yara Shahidi) self-induced isolation from her schoolmates and her insistence on communicating with several imaginary friends, Evan's life has devolved into disorganized chaos. He's in constant competition with fellow broker Johnny Whitefeather (Thomas Haden Church, Broken Trail), a young gun at the firm that's wooing clients away from Evan with his excellent insight into the market and Native American rituals. When the pressure causes Evan to explode in the boardroom after Olivia doodled all over his latest presentation, he expects his boss (Ronny Cox, Total Recall) to give him the ax. Instead, it turns out that Olivia's drawings represent exactly what's transpired in the marketplace, events even Whitefeather didn't foresee. Evan learns that Olivia gleaned this knowledge from several imaginary friends. Desperate to find a way to regain his status at the firm, Evan plays along with the imaginary friend routine and, in the process, rekindles his relationship with his daughter. Will Evan learn the value of family, or will he cut and run and return things to the way they were once he's got his hands on a few hot stock tips?

Admittedly, there's nothing at all groundbreaking about Imagine That. It's rather straightforward, and there's never a doubt that this fairy tale will end with anything less than a happily-ever-after ending for all. Still, despite its "been there, done that" veneer, both Murphy and Shahidi inject an infectious personality into the film and share a completely believable chemistry as father and daughter. Again, there's no surprise in that the two go through the expected array of ups and downs and eventually come out together on the right side of the ledger, but the magical journey from the strained relationship to Evan's understanding that family supersedes all allows the more superficial and clichéd plot elements to fall by the wayside in favor of the charm and personality of both the script and the primary characters. Imagine That owes much of its success to the performance of young Yara Shahidi who positively lights up the screen with every infectious smile; she plays her role with a natural flair and a positive, uplifting aura that says that it's all right to be a kid, to have dreams, loves, hurts, and yes, even a few imaginary friends. Eddie Murphy delivers another funny effort in the lighter moments and captures the bustling excitement of the office work environment and the more dramatically-inclined segments both equally well. Thomas Haden Church, too, is surprisingly excellent as the fun but devious competition inside the firm. Imagine That also features a fine supporting cast of characters actors: Ronny Cox, Stephen Root, and Martin Sheen.

Imagine That may be billed as a Comedy, but there's more here than a string of loosely connected laughs. The humor is generally subtle but highly effective; there's the expected barrage of scenes featuring Murphy doing his best to look as goofy as he can with dances, facial contortions, and the like, but there is a nice balance to the slapstick with more subtle jokes and other prop-based gags (pancakes with ketchup and mustard, anyone?) along the way. Church's character grows more zany by the frame; what begins as something of stalwart character that's proud of his heritage slowly devolves into an overly caffeinated fanatic that delivers some of the better humor in the film. Most important of all, however, and beyond the laughs, is the running notion that reinforces the importance of family values. Whether Olivia's imaginary friends are really real or not is left to the imagination, and that suits the audience, the film, and its message just fine. It shows that imagination just might be the strongest asset of all in both the office and the home. Life isn't about numbers, deadlines, or portfolios, says Imagine That; instead, it's about believing that there's more to success than a client's happiness and a bulging bank account, and if it takes a little thinking outside the box -- even boardroom presentations covered in crayon and glitter -- well, then, the box has had its day. Imagine away.

Imagine That Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Imagine That dazzles on Blu-ray with a wonderfully cinematic 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Typical of a new, fresh-from-theaters release from Paramount, this disc delivers quality imagery across the board, and it should satisfy even the most discerning of home theater aficionados. Though a vibrant, colorful, and sharp transfer, this one seems just the slightest bit dim, but otherwise, it excels throughout. Colors are slightly warm, but they are also abundant and tend to pop off the screen; whether the interior of the boardroom or the sights of downtown Denver, Imagine That's color palette dazzles in every setting. The transfer exhibits a strong sense of depth and even far background details -- particularly outdoor scenes that showcase the city of Denver -- reveal strong detail, texture, and clarity across the board, and many scenes do well to approximate a three-dimensional appearance. Likewise, clothing -- such as woven sweaters -- are beautifully and realistically rendered. Neither black levels nor flesh tones are problematic, and the transfer is completed by a thin veneer of film grain that rounds out a wonderfully cinematic 1080p image that brings movie theater-quality visuals into the home.

Imagine That Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Imagine That arrives on Blu-ray with a good but not necessarily remarkable Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is a basic, no-nonsense track that does little more than reproduce dialogue and music to crystal-clear effect, but as a Family Comedy, it doesn't need to do much more than that. Olivia's scream as heard several times through the film is delivered with a crisp, high, ear-piecing tone and couldn't sound more lifelike if the girl were letting loose in the living room. The aforementioned music -- and the generally wonderful score courtesy of Mark Mancina (August Rush) in particular -- tends to sweep about the front half of the soundstage and plays with a true-to-life crispness and fidelity that Mancina's superb work deserves. There are a couple of noticeable back channel events, such as Evan's car speeding through the listening area near the end of the movie, but generally, this one remains tightly focused across the front three speakers. Atmospherics are subtle but effective; whether the hustle and bustle of downtown Denver or the goings-on inside the office, ambience remains centered across the front but the track doesn't suffer too terribly as a result. All in all, Imagine That isn't the sort of track that's going to blow anyone away, but it doesn't have to; this Blu-ray presentation is just fine for all that's required of it.

Imagine That Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Imagine That features several very-real extras on Blu-ray. First up is a commentary track with Director Karey Kirkpatrick and Actress Yara Shahidi. Shahidi continues her charm here, delivering an enthusiastic and affable commentary. Kirkpatrick leads the discussion; he speaks on a nice range of topics, including how he set up the film to deliver a particular point of view, some of the nuances that made their way into the film, the actors, and even Yara's teeth. This isn't a must-listen track, but it's certainly one that's worth spending some time with. Yara Shahidi Set Tour (1080p, 7:28) features the young actress taking viewers on a tour of the Paramount lot as it was set up for the shooting of Imagine That. A Playground of the Mind (1080p, 9:08) features Director Karey Kirkpatrick recalling his childhood and the importance of imagination in his life and work. Also chiming in with their thoughts on the importance of imagination are stars Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox, DeRay Davis, and Martin Sheen.

Getting the Part (1080p, 2:26) is a brief piece that features Director Karey Kirkpatrick and star Eddie Murphy recalling the inspired choice of Yara Shahidi for the role as Evan's daughter. Also included is footage from her screen test. Star Blanket: Native American Influence (1080p, 3:43) briefly examines the role of the blanket in the film and the true-to-life Native American belief that inspired this part of the film. The King and His Jesters (1080p, 7:48) features the actors speaking on the strengths of their director, and the director in turn praising his cast and the characters they portray. What Were They Really Saying? (480p, 5:03) features some outtakes from the stock market television analysis footage seen in the background throughout the film. Also included are outtakes for Johnny Whitefeather (1080p, 4:54), Evan and Olivia (1080p, 5:31), and five deleted scenes (1080p, 8:50).

Imagine That Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Both funny and heartwarming, Imagine That is an innocent, easygoing, and family-friendly movie that features a good message on the importance of family and the power of the imagination. Eddie Murphy delivers his best performance in his best role in years, and he's surrounded by a strong supporting cast headlined by newcomer Yara Shahidi who herself delivers a magical performance. No, Imagine That won't be up for any Oscars, but it wins the most important things of all -- the audiences' heart -- and nobody can ask more of a movie like this than that. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Imagine That is very good. Featuring a high quality 1080p transfer, a suitable lossless soundtrack, and a nice array of extras, this disc comes enthusiastically recommended for families. Imagine that.