Meh From the Middle of the Hart

Kevin Hart will be the first person to tell you just how talented and hard working he is. Hart is undeniably talented. He has talent to burn. So that’s what he does with this most recent effort in Fatherhood. Based upon a true story, Hart plays Matthew, a man who becomes a widow only hours after becoming a father. He spends the ret of the movie attempting to be the father his daughter needs while finding someway to move past the grieving of his dead wife. .

Everything about this project screams “safe.” Not necessarily a guaranteed hit for Hart, it’s the kind of project that takes no risks. As Matthew, Hart plays a man who has been unable to come to terms with his survivors guilt. This affliction essentially castrates Matthew making him, as a man in the age of toxic masculinity, safe. Perhaps the greatest risk the film takes is the suggestion that this emasculation of Matthew isn’t something women want in their men.

;Under the workmanlike direction of Paul Weitz (About a Boy) how could this movie be anything other than pleasingly safe? There is nothing wrong with pleasingly safe. About a Boy is a terrific movie, Fatherhood is not. It is a well made piece of mediocrity.

There are terrific moments in this so-so movie. Hart is never better than when he quietly plays straight man to the wackier characters Jordan and Oscar. Lil Rel Howery and Oscar Carrigan are quite enjoyable as the two best friends to long suffering Matthew. It is fun watching Hart lay back and play straight man to these two.

Melody Hurd is as charming as needs to be as Matthew’s daughter. There is nothing noteable or special about the relationship between the two. The shtick between the two is mundane at best. The shtick is better between Matthew, Jordan and Oscar. She’s cute and he’s charming when with her so…there’s that.

Dewanda Wise is similarly as charming and sweet as she needs to be as Matthews love interest. There is nothing wrong with Fatherhood at all except that it saddles a dangerous comic like Kevin Hart on a carousel pony. A tad more gravitas comes in the form of Marian (Alfre Woodard), Matthews mother-in-law. There is just enough tension between the two characters to add a slight nick of danger to the otherwise safe meanderings of a single dad still grieving the loss of his wife.

Fatherhood is enjoyable in its forgettable journey. It’s too bad this had to be a true story about the mundane life of a single father, but I suppose in the age of scary pandemics there’s nothing wrong with it.