Imagine That

Sometimes a little film can be a big surprise. Eddie Murphy has been making a lot of little films lately, some with mixed results. His latest small carat movie, Imagine That, twinkles in all the right places.

Eddie Murphy once again plays a workaholic parent, Evan Danielson, who is too busy to notice the world immediately outside of his corporate office. The world, in this instance, is his adorable daughter, Olivia, played by Yara Shahidi. Olivia copes with his absence by enjoying a fantasy world of her own, complete with three wish-granting divas, dragons, and castles.

Evan, a stressed-out stock consultant, is embroiled in a battle for a promotion against the legendary Johnny Whitefeather, played by Thomas Haden Church. Whitefeather is a New Age snake-charmer, complete with half-baked motto's that pass for ancient Native American wisdom. Evan finds it hard to compete with his incense, power chants, and dirty tricks until Yara and her divas lend him a hand.

For those who fondly remember a standard high-amped Eddie Murphy vehicle, this story may seem a bit simple. The script is a bit weak, falling back on the frustrated ex-wife routine, and yes - the ending is tooth-numbing sweet. Yet it's the genuine chemistry between Murphy and Shahidi - and the cutthroat conflict between Evan and Johnny - that is sure to delight the family on movie night.

Maybe the Buddhists do have it right - less is more.