FATHERHOOD

US, 2021, 90 minutes, Colour.

Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Lil Rel Howery, DeWanda Wise, Melody Hurd, Paul Reiser, Anthony Carrigan, Frankie Faison.

Directed by Paul Weitz.

Usually, we expect to find Kevin Hart in a raucous comedy (think the Ride Along films, The Wedding Ringer), sometimes teaming up with Dwayne Johnson. And, he is usually frantic. He i Fatherhood, but this is a far more serious film than usual.

He plays Matt, a successful businessman, on the up and up in New York City. His wife is about to give birth – and does so, a daughter, Maddie, but the immediate sadness of his wife’s death.

This is a film, particularly for fathers, particularly of young children, and daughters.

Much of the advice of his mother and mother-in-law (a very forceful performance from Alfre Woodard), refusing to go back to Michigan where his family came from, he decides that he will rear his little girl by himself – or, at least, with his friend from work, Oscar, and attending some mothers’ groups… And, more or less, he succeeds, not without great demands on his work and his personal life… those sleepless nights…

Father and daughter grow up nicely bonding. Five years pass. The crisis of the film is whether he should follow through possible promotions at work, including international travel, having his daughter go to stay with the family in Michigan. And, there is a complication. He meets an attractive woman, but the possible conflict between her and Maddie is not part of the drama of the film. They bond beautifully.

So, a shift of seen to Michigan, Maddie staying in her mother’s room, the fuss of the family, Matt and his re-living the past, having to make decisions about the future.

Not a groundbreaking scenario – but, with Kevin Hart more sympathetic, with Alfre Woodard unsympathetic (most of the time), and Maddie a likeable little girl and very perky, this is a drama, with humour, to remind audiences of the responsibility of fatherhood, of devoted parenting.

1. The title and expectations? Kevin Hart in starring role – his comic reputation, a more serious characterisation?
2. A New York story? Work and home in New York? The hospital? The contrast with Minnesota, homes, countryside? The musical score?
3. The pathos in the film? Matt, his wife’s pregnancy, the joy of the birth? The pressure from his mother-in-law? Support of his mother? The baby, the sudden illness, his wife’s death? The impact on him, the funeral and the wake, his despondency, Marion and her influence, his mother, Jordan as his friend continually intervening and supporting?
4. The pressure on Matt to give his daughter to her grandparents, to Minnesota? His refusal? His decision to be a father, to do everything? His work and his skills, his sympathetic boss, the thought of firing him, his presentation to the clients, the intervention of his daughter? Their happy response? The expected sequences of life at home, feeding, changing nappies, crying during the night? The effect on Matt? His visit to the mother’s group, their welcome, advice? His managing to cope?
5. Marion, strong character, love for her daughter? Grief at her daughter’s death? The husband and his easy-going manner? His being supportive of Matt? Phone calls, visits, unexpectedly turning up? The contrast with Matt’s mother and her support?
6. Maddie growing up, going to school, the nuns in memory of her mother, wearing the trousers and the severity of the regulations, the discussions with Matt (and at the end his wearing a skirt)? Her personality, verve, keeping her father attentive?
7. Matt and his continued work, possibilities for promotion? His boss and his retirement?
8. Oscar, his continued presence, awkward, talking too much, his wife? Along with Jordan and their support of Matt, taking him out, the bar, his refusing?
9. The encounter with Swan, her personality, Matt responding to her, meetings, talking, the relationship? Maddie and her relating well with Swan, going out, enjoying her company?
10. Matt, change of heart, the tension with Swan? His later apology, the reconciliation?
11. Maddie going to Minnesota, her mother’s house, her mother’s room? The grandparents? Missing her father? His memories of Minnesota, nostalgia, sadness?
12. Matt going overseas for work, with Oscar, leaving Oscar to do the job?
13. The reconciliation with Maddie, return to New York? The resolving of all the issues?
14. A film for men, the fathers, for fathering, bonding with children?