Star Kevin Hart and director Paul Weitz (About a Boy) have joined forces with Fatherhood, a tender chronicle of a young husband forced to raise a baby girl all on his own when his wife dies after childbirth. Now, don’t worry, it isn’t too heavy-headed—after all, this is a Kevin Hart movie. But this is a drama, make no mistake about it. Hart flexes those dramatic muscles and turns in a performance worthy of the material. It is one that will have you wanting to dive into your television set and give him a hug.
The Netflix drama finds Hart and his wife Liz (Deborah Ayorinde) all sorts of ready to welcome their first child. It is a time of equal parts bliss and utter terror at the upcoming unknown. After delivering a healthy baby girl, Maddy, Matt (Hart) is left with a newborn little lady to raise solo. Mom passes away moments after Maddy’s arrival on this planet. From that moment at the very beginning of the film, this tale possesses a tone filled with unspeakable tragedy, tear-filled hope, and at its center, a man determined to be the best father in the world. He also has a full-time job that he excels at, one that is promising for more travel and promotions.
Matt has help, at least at the beginning. He lives in Boston. His mother, mother-in-law, and father-in-law are all staying at his house from Minnesota to help with the complicated mind-wrecking, sleep-depriving, and mental hula hoops that are bringing a baby home from the hospital. At first, Matt is like a man hit in the face with an anvil. His mother and in-laws worry that he is up for the task. But he insists, this little girl is my daughter and it’s on me to raise her.
It isn’t easy. Director Weitz is a wizard with this tone and his touch is pure gold. Hart has made a career in the funnier side of the entertainment business. The actor flexes his dramatic muscles in Fatherhood and from the get-go, he is Matt. We pull for him immediately. Hart uses the entire actor’s emotive toolbox and the reward for viewers is an emotional payoff that is just what we need right now.
The film is uplifting but littered with landmines that are true to life and most importantly—relatable. Witnessing Hart in this role is a seismic moment in the comic actor’s career. It is uncanny to see him as a father who is simultaneously mourning the sudden loss of the love of his life and best friend, along with the joy and utter terror of having a newborn girl that is 100-percent dependent on him—literally—for life.
The way Hart waxes his turn throughout it is not simply believable, it is impactful. The actor has found a character in Matt that not only is in his wheelhouse but also forces him to push the envelope a bit. He does so in spades. It is as impressive of a turn from the Philadelphia native as he has ever achieved.
Fatherhood even takes the time to broach a subject that may seem like an afterthought to many a filmmaker—dating. It’s been five years and Matt’s friends think it’s time. He doesn’t. Matt obliges his pals and goes to a date that is a pure friendly set-up. So, we meet Lizzie, (aka Swan), played pitch-perfectly by DeWanda Wise. She too is a single parent. The two have a spark, but it’s complicated. Well, that’s an understatement. When you’re are a parent, your child comes first. When you are a single parent, your child comes first and many feel that life beyond that little one is all life should entail. Seeing this dating dilemma played out over a single dad raising a little girl story adds layers to the power of Fatherhood.
Playing Matt’s best pals is Jordan (Lil Ren Howery, Uncle Drew, Bad Trip) and Anthony Carrigan’s Oscar (Barry). Both provide support but are both as lost as Matt. Their moments together scream Three Men and Baby because it literally is! This friendship between this trio is another spoke in the wheel of authenticity that Fatherhood possesses. Both actors are brilliant. Carrigan is a wee bit more aloof than Jordan, and Jordan seems to possess the insight that is exactly what Matt needs to hear. Collectively, they make a formidable trio, set and ready to raise a little girl in the best way possible.
The three grandparents stand out as well. But, surprisingly to no one, Alfre Woodard’s Marian hangs in the air above everyone else with her genius. She is Matt’s mother-in-law and has her opinions are clear—most notably that she passionately believes that her son-in-law cannot succeed in this most important of efforts. As the film progresses, she softens, but that maternal worry is always right at the forefront. It is another dazzling performance by an actress who is one of our best.
Dana Stevens and Weitz wrote the screenplay, based on the true story captured in Matt Logelin’s deeply personal book. The author bore his soul and didn’t leave anything for the imagination. Raising a little girl by yourself as a father is a unique challenge. Most of the stories we see involve single mothers and it is refreshing to witness a narrative where it is all on the father—particularly an African-American dad. Too often they are portrayed in manners that do not befit their contribution to our society.
Melody Hurd is a find as Maddy. She can be just as fiery as her father and is as determined a little one as one could meet. The young actress navigates the tough waters and demands of her role with the command of an actress six times her age. She is an utter delight and her chemistry with not just Hart, but with her grandparents, her father’s buddy’s and even strangers at the store is simply blissful.
Seeing Hart as Matt take care of Maddy from newborn through full-fledged young girl is a study in perseverance, parental panache, and above all—yes, humor. Sometimes, you just have to laugh. Don’t get me wrong, one might think that because Hart is our lead, the humor will fly at least some of the time.
That’s not the case here at all. Don’t get us wrong, there are light moments that will result in laughter. For example, witnessing Hart shooting dirty diapers through a basketball hoop that drops into a diaper holder, and then missing the shot. An explosion of exprement ensues. Yes, that is funny.
But one of those first nights, when Maddy will not stop crying, for hours, that is raw. That is real. Hart’s combination of sleep deprivation, frustration, and all-out emptiness at the loss of his wife is like a laser beam of emotion straight into our hearts.
Grade: A