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Imagine That Our rating: Your rating: 1 2 3 4 Your Comments: see all MPAA rating: PG (for some mild language and brief questionable behavior) Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy Theater release: June 12, 2009 by Nickelodeon Directed by: Karey Kirkpatrick Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes Cast: Eddie Murphy (Evan), Thomas Hayden Church (Johnny Whitefeather), Yara Shahidi (Olivia), Nicole Ari Parker (Trish), Ronny Cox (Tom Stevens), DeRay Davis (John Stother) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

Sometimes when I'm at a movie screening, I feel like a spy. This is especially true when I'm screening a children's movie, trying to hide behind my bucket of popcorn and hoping no one notices that a) I'm not eight years old and b) I'm scribbling notes. Of course I'm supposed to be there. The movie's publicist has even saved a seat for me. But at kids' movies, by the first time the five-year-old behind me squeals with delight at a gag that barely registered on my laugh-o-meter, I've figured out that I'm clearly not the target audience—and I start paying attention not just to the screen, but also to my fellow critics. And don't let those cherubic faces fool you. Elementary schoolers are a tough crowd.

Eddie Murphy as Evan, Yara Shahidi as Olivia

Imagine That seeks their stamp of approval with the tale of seven-year-old Olivia, who is coping with her parents' split—and her father's scant attention—with the help of a security blanket. That blanket, draped over her head, gives her access to an imaginary world full of castles and dragons, three princesses, and one queen. And it turns out that this royal family has quite the knack for picking winning stocks. Huh?

Well, you see, the absentee dad is a stockbroker. Ah! Played by Eddie Murphy, Evan is occupied—preoccupied and postoccupied (if I can make up a word)—by his job. It's never clearly stated, but it's implied this probably has something to do with the dissolution of his marriage. And clearly it's keeping him from being a good father. He doesn't seem to have the time or the will to focus on his daughter. But it's not as though he doesn't want kids. "I just didn't know I'd be so bad at it," he tells his ex-wife (Nicole Ari Parker as Trish).

Olivia shows her dad how to really put on the mustard

Evan finds the will to focus on his daughter when, after a series of comic hijinks, he realizes Olivia's blanket and imaginary friends have inside information on the companies he's researching for his clients. (Securities blanket, get it?) Evan becomes the talk of Denver's financial world with advice like, "Sell this company because it's a crybaby that's going to run home to momma," "Buy this company because it's sparkly," and, "These companies are kissing and kissing leads to marriage (and mergers)." If seven-year-olds ran the financial world, things would be much simpler, no? At the very least, we might be able to get a straight answer about mortgage-backed securities. I have a feeling the word "poop" would be involved.

In order to get all of this information from the princesses and queen, Evan starts actually spending time with his daughter. Olivia teaches her dad how to come with her to her imaginary (or is it?) world. The story suggests a number of things about Olivia's blanket: it is a mystical "weave" that allows people (especially children) to develop their third eye and become seers; it's a security blanket plain and simple, and the world it evinces is all in a neglected little girl's imagination; it's something in between. The movie never really takes care to sort this out, probably wanting to leave the question open with a whimsical question mark.

The magic blanket is the key

Or perhaps the movie doesn't clear up the question because it's all beside the point. This is a movie about a father learning to connect with his daughter. If you dwell on the ways the movie doesn't quite add up or seems to be not quite funny enough, you'd miss the point. Well, you wouldn't miss the point. But you'd be unduly frustrated. Instead, just listen to those kids around you laughing at Eddie Murphy doing a dance for Queen Kwally. Kids love to see adults acting silly. It's like the best special effect ever. And Murphy dances, grimaces, slides, and pratfalls with manic abandon.

Still, I have to say, it seemed like Murphy was phoning in some of those dance moves. And as a goofy rival at this firm, Thomas Hayden Church's Johnny Whitefeather was more ridiculous than ridiculously funny. And I think Church knew it. But I don't think the kids around me knew it. We're used to "children's" movies that entertain the whole family. And this movie isn't going to entertain parents the same way that some of the recent, clever offerings from the likes of Pixar engage people of all ages. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. But I would argue that there are points at which Imagine That dwells too much on Evan's angst and loses the kids too.

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