Daddy Day Care

Daddy Day Care is a 2003 American comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. The plot follows Charlie Hinton, a busy working father and his wife, Kim has just gone back to work as a lawyer. They enroll their child, Ben, in the Chapman Academy, a very academic pre-school, headed by Mrs. Harridan. Soon after, Charlie is laid off. In need of money, he opens up a day care center, "Daddy Day Care" with the help of his best friend Phil. At first the local moms are suspicious of men wanting to work with children (mainly because they think they're homosexual, pedophiles, or just plain incompetent).

But as "Daddy Day Care" is cheaper and more child-centered than the Academy, the latter begins to lose popularity. Mrs. Harridan attempts to shut down Daddy Day Care by notifying Child Services that Charlie and Phil are not following the regulations. The two now have to work tooth-and-nail to keep the place under regulation or their day care is shut down.

It has an In Name Only sequel called Daddy Day Camp.


 * Angrish: Because getting kicked hurts.
 * Censorship by Spelling: Charlie discreetly tells his wife that he lost his J-O-B at the dinner table.
 * Change the Uncomfortable Subject: One of the girls wants to know where babies come from. It's too soon.
 * Cute Bruiser: Initially, Crispin when he was enrolled.
 * Double Standard: The reason that a few moms are initially reluctant to give the main characters care of their children.
 * Fundraiser Carnival
 * Hilarious Outtakes
 * House Husband: Charlie and Phil slowly have to learn how to become one while running his day-care center.
 * Jump Cut: Inverted. A scene switches from bedlam to sleeping children.
 * Limited Wardrobe: Tony's problem when he joined Daddy Day Care; he believes he's the Flash and has worn his Halloween costume for weeks.
 * Musicalis Interruptus Used to bookend a trip to the bathroom and a kick to the crotch.
 * Potty Failure: Played with. Max consistenly makes it to the bathroom on time, but he can't aim.
 * Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Charlie gets his office job back, then quits.
 * Rules Lawyer: The titular establishment is constantly threatened by a lack of adherance to child care regulations.
 * Shout-Out: There are several, mostly to Star Trek due to Marvin's love of the series.
 * Title Drop
 * The Talk One of the kids wants to hear about this; see Change The Uncomfortable Subject above.
 * Toilet Humor: Max's current issue when signed up for Daddy Day Care. He misses. Badly.
 * When You Coming Home, Dad?