Review: Fatherhood

BY HOLLYWOOD HERNANDEZ

Fatherhood, starring Kevin Hart is now showing exclusively on Netflix. It’s a “dramedy” that gets the absolute best out of Hart’s acting skills. In the movie, Kevin Hart is Matt, a widow whose wife dies suddenly one day after giving birth. Not surprisingly Hart plays his scenes with a lot of humor, but also a lot of tears after becoming a widow and new father at the same time.

Lil’ Rel Howery plays Matt’s best friend, Jordan, who also delivers plenty of comedy along with heartfelt concern for his best friend and his new daughter, Melony Hurd, who plays Maddy is a precocious child actor who has a long future ahead at only 10 years old. Alfre Woodard plays his mother-in-law who has absolutely no faith that Matt can leave his selfish and immature attitude to become a single father.

Fatherhood is a real tearjerker and you’ll be amazed at how well Hart can cry on demand. Matt and Maddy end up developing a very close relationship. Hart’s portrayal of a frustrated father is very heartfelt, and there is absolutely nothing he wouldn’t do for his daughter.

There’s also a little romance in the movie where Matt meets Swan, played by Dewanda Wise. The relationship goes sour after Maddy has to go to the hospital for stitches after a playground accident and Matt breaks up with Swan because he feels like he should have been there to protect her. After the accident he doesn’t feel like he has time for a girlfriend.

I never thought Hart could deliver the drama in a serious role but he is stellar in this movie. It’s rated PG-13, with a run time of 1 hour and 39 minutes. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate FATHERHOOD a JUMBO (with extra butter).