Imagine ThatMovie Reviews

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 54 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
6 OK for kids 6+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    The result is a much more playable film than recent efforts, though Murphy will have to share the applause with young Yara Shahidi. Read full review

  • 70
    Washington Post |

    It's refreshing that in effects-happy Hollywood, Evan and Olivia only imagine their travels, rather than run a gantlet of computerized hallucinations. This may turn out to be one of the more endearing aspects of Imagine That to its younger audiences. Read full review

  • 70
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    Mr. Murphy rises to every occasion, not only with the crisp wit that has long been his hallmark, but with restraint and tenderness that serve him well. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Joe Leydon

    An undemandingly pleasant, mildly amusing fantasy. Read full review

  • 63
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Carrie Rickey

    While Imagine That falls short of its feel-good aim, its feel-nice vibe is a good Father's Day diversion for Dads and their spawn. Read full review

  • 63
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    Amusing without ever being break-out funny. Read full review

  • 58
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    There's something sweet about the way that Murphy throws himself into this piffle. Thomas Haden Church does too. Read full review

  • 50
    Boston Globe | Wesley Morris

    Eddie Murphy in another mediocre family comedy? Imagine that. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle |

    The plot turns distasteful and shrill before its tidy resolution at the close. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Though Imagine That's message is benign, its adult focus is off-base, and every move feels too familiar, formulaic and telegraphed. Read full review

View more reviews for Imagine That on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 6+ Sugary sweet father-daughter comedy is fine for families.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this Eddie Murphy father-daughter comedy is aimed squarely at families, so expect your kids to be interested. The good news is that it's mostly tame and family-friendly, except for a few exclamations like "crap" and "hell" and some possibly off-putting, over-the-top references/jokes regarding Native Americans and their culture. While Murphy's character starts out primarily interested in furthering his career, he ultimately learns an important lesson about putting his daughter first.
  • Families can talk about the movie's messages about work-family balance. 
  • What does Evan learn by the time the movie is over? 
  • Was Olivia's fantasy world important because it helped Evan get ahead or because it helped them bond? 
  • Families can also discuss the movie's Native American jokes/references. Are they funny? Is humor based on stereotypes OK?
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: Putting your family first is really the plot of this film.
  • rolemodels true3 Positive role models: Evan, a workaholic dad, finally bonds with his daughter and decides to make her the top priority in his life. On the other hand, for most of the movie, he uses her special blanket's magical skills to further his career, even resorting to stealing security blankets to attempt to make his own connection with the princesses.Native American culture is referenced, in many cases for a laugh. The character who acts like a Native American is exposed to be a fraud.
What to watch for
  • violence false1 Violence and scariness: Several comic pratfalls.
  • sex false0 Sexy stuff: Olivia says her mom is "friends" with a coworker who looks like "Prince Charming." The mom and her date are shown together at an event. Evan acts jealous.
  • language false2 Language: Mild insults like "stupid," "poop," and exclamations like "loads of crap," "cut the crap," "oh my God," "shut up," and "what the hell."
  • consumerism false2 Consumerism: Featured brands include Dell computers, Mercedes, the TV show Blue's Clues, the children's book Olivia, the Denver Nuggets, and Red Bull energy drink.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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