The Basics
🍼 Overview
Daddy Day Care is a 2003 American family comedy film directed by Steve Carr and written by Geoff Rodkey. It stars Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin as two recently laid-off fathers who start their own home day care business, setting off a comedic turf war with an elite, ultra-competitive preschool. Released by Columbia Pictures / Revolution Studios, the film became a box-office hit despite a chilly critical reception, and went on to spawn a full mini-franchise.
Story
📖 Plot Synopsis
Charlie Hinton (Eddie Murphy) is a marketing executive at a health food company, and his wife Kim (Regina King) has just returned to work as a lawyer. When Charlie and his best friend/colleague Phil Ryerson (Jeff Garlin) lose their jobs after a disastrous product launch, both are forced to become stay-at-home dads. Unable to afford the elite, over-academic Chapman Academy preschool run by the imperious Gwyneth Harridan (Anjelica Huston), Charlie and Phil pull their sons out and, with no job prospects in sight, decide to open their own day care center out of Charlie's house.
They recruit their eccentric, socially awkward friend Marvin (Steve Zahn) to help, and "Daddy Day Care" opens for business. Local parents are skeptical at first about men running a day care, but the trio's unconventional, kid-first methods — full of games, imagination, and genuine fun — win the children and their families over. As enrollment grows and tuition stays cheap, Daddy Day Care starts pulling students away from Chapman Academy, launching an escalating comedic rivalry with the ruthless Miss Harridan, who has driven every previous competitor out of business.
When Charlie is unexpectedly offered his old marketing career back, he leaves the day care to Phil and Marvin — only to realize the corporate path isn't what he actually wants anymore. He returns to find that Harridan has lured the families back to Chapman. Charlie rallies the kids and parents, proves the value of Daddy Day Care once and for all, and the business — and the friendships behind it — end up thriving.
Who's Who
🎭 Cast & Characters
Behind the Scenes
🎬 Production
Directed by Steve Carr from a screenplay by Geoff Rodkey, Daddy Day Care marked the second collaboration between Murphy and Carr, following Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001). The film was produced by Revolution Studios and John Davis, and distributed theatrically by Columbia Pictures. Principal photography took place around Los Angeles and Southern California.
- Director
- Steve Carr
- Screenplay
- Geoff Rodkey
- Producers
- John Davis, Wyck Godfrey
- Distributor
- Columbia Pictures
- Filming Locations
- Los Angeles, California
- Murphy & Carr's 2nd Film Together
- After Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)
Critics vs. Audiences
⭐ Reception
Daddy Day Care was a commercial hit but landed with critics far more coolly than with families at the box office — a gap that became one of the film's defining stories.
The Franchise
🍼 Daddy Day Care Film Series
The success of the original spawned two follow-ups, making Daddy Day Care a three-film series spanning theatrical and direct-to-video releases.
Daddy Day Care
The original film starring Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin. Directed by Steve Carr. Grossed $164.4M worldwide on a $60M budget.
Daddy Day Camp
A sequel starring Cuba Gooding Jr. in place of Eddie Murphy, marking directorial debut of actor Fred Savage. Charlie and Phil take over a rundown summer camp.
Grand-Daddy Day Care
The third and final installment in the series, released direct-to-video rather than theatrically.
Fun Facts