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June 2007

Daddy's Little Girls

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Daddy's Little Girls


Actors: Gabrielle Union, Idris Elba, Tracee Ellis Ross, Malinda Williams, Terri Vaughn, Lou Gossett Jr., Gary Sturgis
Directors: Tyler Perry
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English, Spanish
Number of discs: 1
Rating PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
DVD Release Date: June 12, 2007
Run Time: 95 minutes
Synopsis: Monty (Idris Elba) is a mechanic struggling to make ends meet while raising his three young daughters. When the court awards custody of his daughters to his ex-wife, Monty desperately tries to win them back with the help of Julia (Gabrielle Union), a beautiful, Ivy League-educated attorney. Monty and Julia couldn't be less alike, but a flame is ignited...touching off a firestorm of love and conflict.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES*
• “Atlanta Aquarium: Working Under Water” featurette
• “Tyler’s Team: Cast and Characters” featurette
• “Introducing the McClain Sisters” featurette
• Audio commentary by writer/producer/director Tyler Perry
• Extended church scene
*subject to change

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES*
• “Atlanta Aquarium: Working Under Water” featurette
• “Tyler’s Team: Cast and Characters” featurette
• “Introducing the McClain Sisters” featurette
• “Touring the Sets” featurette
• “Conducting Chaos: The Riot Scene” featurette
• “Oakland Cemetery” featurette
• Deleted scenes
• Gag reel
• Uncut scenes
• Audio commentary by writer/producer/director Tyler Perry
• Extended church scene


   

 

Julia (Gabrielle Union) is a hotshot attorney with a corner officer in downtown Atlanta and a pricey condo with a breathtaking view of the city. The only thing missing in this workaholic’s life is a mate to share her success with. Her well-intentioned girlfriends, Cynthia (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Brenda (Terri J. Vaughn) try to play matchmaker, but all the blind dates they come up with turn out to be total disasters. Just when Julia is resigning herself to a perpetual state of spinsterhood, Mr. Right appears in the person of Monty (Idris Elba). The problem is that she barely notices him, since the only reason their paths cross is because he’s moonlighting as a limo driver to supplement his income as an auto mechanic.

This spoiled-rotten witch-meets-working class hero premise underpins Daddy's Little Girls, the latest modern morality play from Tyler Perry. Although there’s no Madea character in the mix this time out, the film still features plenty of Perry’s pictures’ trademarks. Thus, we find an assortment of recognizable African-American archetypes from the abuse victim to the trifling womanizer to the sassy sister to the gallant knight in
shining armor who serves to smash the prevailing negative stereotype of the black male as a gangsterish thug.

Gabrielle Union has never before exhibited as much of an emotional range as seen in this role as an ice princess whose cold heart melts when offered an opportunity with a real man who comes with a ready-made family. Idris Elba is just as endearing as that too good to be true patriarch willing to do whatever it takes to protect his offspring. And the rest of the principal cast deserves kudos for giving their all in executing Perry’s timely script with a very positive message.

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