Daddy's Little Girls

Plot synopsis:
Monty James is a mechanic with three daughters: 5- year old China, 7 - year old Lauryn and 12 - year old Sierra, who dreams of owning his own shop. His children have been cared for by their maternal grandmother Kat Jackson for years, but she dies of lung cancer. His ex-wife, Jennifer, disrupts the service, demands her daughters live with her and sues for full custody of them. Monty accepts help from Maya, an employment agency worker, who recommends he works as a driver for Julia Rossmore, an attorney in Atlanta.
Julia’s friends, Brenda and Cynthia, set Julia up on a blind date with Byron - a dimwitted, middle-aged rapper. She also ends up on a blind date with a guy who she thinks is perfect for her until his wife and kids expose him as an unfaithful married man. When Monty and Julia meet, she insists on having everything done on schedule. Meanwhile, Sierra accidentally starts a fire in his home and she and her siblings end up at the hospital where Social Services are notified and the children are sent to live with their mother and her boyfriend, Joe. Julia goes to the hospital to demand Monty to take her home, but sees Social Services sending his children to live with Jennifer. Monty returns to his day job as a mechanic and finds the owner Willie has been injured in a robbery. Willie offers to sell the shop to Monty for a $10,000 deposit. Monty later goes to Julia for help, which she does during the court case.
Julia finishes Monty’s case preparation and discovering it is her 32nd birthday, takes her to his favorite jazz club, where they dance. As they are traveling home, Julia kisses Monty and asks him to spend the night. Monty is willing but Julia is too drunk and vomits in the bathroom. Julia changes her mind and tells Monty to go home. Over the next few weeks, Julia begins to feel confused. She goes to Monty's apartment to meet his daughters during his visitation right. When they're at the aquarium, Julia sees one of her friends there and gets reminded that she has to be conscious of decisions which impact her career. Monty overhears Julia’s friend and is hurt.
At the child custody hearing, Julia argues that it would be in the children's best interest for Monty to be awarded custody. Jennifer’s lawyer says that Monty is irresponsible due to an earlier conviction of statutory rape. Julia feels betrayed because she didn’t hear this information from Monty earlier; she leaves, telling Monty that custody will be awarded to Jennifer. At 3:00 am, Monty's daughters arrive at his house and inform him that Joe has abused them, proving it by revealing that China's back is bruised. Monty drives away and crashes into Jennifer and Joe's car, after which he physically assaults Joe and a crowd gathers. Joe's thugs arrive and begin to attack Monty, but the crowd defends Monty against them. Julia sees a report on the incident, in which Monty is identified as having been "falsely convicted" of rape.
Jennifer and Joe are facing drug charges in court, because cocaine and marijuana was found in Joe's car and house, while Monty is to be charged with assault. Julia represents Monty, apologizing for not hearing his side of the story. The witnesses testify against Joe but refuse to testify against Monty, so Jennifer and Joe are jailed without bail while the case against Monty is dropped. Monty tells Julia that he loves her. His daughters greet him and Julia at the auto shop that now bears his name. Monty and Julia kiss, and the neighbors celebrate Monty's success.

Tags: flashback

Review:
And lets be real here - your typical 14 year old freshman in high school kid is not gonna spend $6.75 on a movie called "Daddy's Little Girls", am I right?
But Tyler Perry's movie's are known for real life day-to-day struggles and how to overcome hard times.
I liked the fact that Tyler Perry omitted the Madea character this time, nice change.
I cannot complain Mr. Perry did a pretty good job and I am looking forward seeing another movie or play.
Daddy's Little Girls is my favorite Tyler Perry film so far.
Tyler Perry works hard to make his films feel real and he never disappoints.
With her help he might be able get his daughters back and maybe find someone to love just as all hope seemed lost.This is probably one of Tyler Perry's most realistic films.
The audience I saw it with loved it.That got me thinking why can't you see Perry's work in the UK other than at the BFM Film Festival.
Why not release the films on DVD, any visit to Dalston/Brixton/Harlesden in London will tell you that's there's a great illicit trade in Perry's films.Anyway, if you like a undemanding and somewhat unoriginal romantic drama this is just the thing for you.Black Narcissus.
Tyler Perry's Medea-less tale of a father trying to raise his daughters but finding trouble from the girls mother who has taken up with a drug dealer.Good little movie with a nice sense of place.
(I'm left to wonder if Perry's rather busy dance card will hurt his film out put since with a TV show and now several films a year I have to wonder if he will be able to craft films that stand out, or will they be like this good, but forgettable?) Worth watching- though odds are you'll forget you've ever seen it..
one thing that makes Capra films (as well as Anthony Mann films) so good is the cast of secondary characters who act as foils to the protagonist, as well as offer comic relief.
My wife and I went to check out "Daddy's Little Girls" not knowing what to expect, seeing that this Tyler Perry production did not have his outrageous Madea character in it.
We came away pleasantly surprised with what we saw.The problem that some moviegoers have with this film is quite simple: they're trying to be movie critics.
With pretty much any Tyler Perry movie, a huge majority of those who watch them are there to either be inspired, to gain insight and maybe a lesson or two on life, or to see what Madea will say next.
And again, many non-movie critics understand this.Idris Elba does a great job stepping away from his more well-known Stringer Bell persona.
Gabrielle Union does a notable job as the female lead, and Lou Gossett, Jr.'s brief appearances give the movie more context and a slight bit more depth.If you are a fan of Tyler Perry's plays, you will recognize his approach and the technique to this movie, and though it does not have the cantankerous Madea giving us lessons on life, it still will probably leave a mark on the moviegoer if (s)he goes into the theater to be inspired..
Of course there are obstacles, like his trifling wife who thinks money and the street life make the best men; a thug who likes to ridicule anyone who isn't on the same grind that he is; child custody; an ill mother; and an outstandingly snobbish lawyer who he has been hired to drive around to make ends meet outside of his job as a mechanic.
The love and loyalty this movie displayed was Phenomenal and I wish Tyler Perry, much success in the future.
Yet, in this era when too many black characters are either rappers, street thugs, prostitutes or drug dealers, Perry speaks to audiences yearning to see a more positive vision of the African-American experience portrayed on screen.
This sets up a fierce custody battle between Monty and Jennifer with the three girls caught in the middle.As stated previously, it is commendable that Perry wishes to make Monty a model for young male viewers to emulate, but in order to establish Monty's bona fides as a caring father, the filmmaker for some reason has found it necessary to ratchet up the mother's vileness past the point of believability.
Indeed, she is so over-the-top in her villainy that one wonders how such a seemingly level-headed and sweet-tempered soul as Marty could ever have been fooled into marrying her.Perry doesn't do much better with the main female character, a snooty, high-priced African-American lawyer named Julia, who looks down her nose on poor working-class stiffs like Monty who takes a position as her much-abused chauffeur in order to make a little money on the side.
Thus, with the character of Julia, Perry manages to insult blacks, career women and specifically black career women in one fell swoop.The movie makes some interesting points about the role class consciousness plays in the black community, with wealthy blacks sometimes more dismissive of their less well-off counterparts than are wealthy whites.
Unfortunately, this theme is played out in the context of a fairly formulaic romance between Monty and Julia, with the "little girls" of the title reduced to not much more than walk-on roles in the story.
Idris Elba is appealing and solid as the sincere, hardworking Monty, while Gabrielle Union does what she can with the poorly written part of Julia.The narrative also suffers from what first-year screen writing students (or "Crash" deriders) like to refer to as "coincidence overload," with characters bumping into one another at all-too-convenient moments or just happening to learn crucial bits of information from news stories on TV."Daddy's Little Girls" starts off with the best of intentions, and there are certainly some poignant, touching moments to be found in the film, but the movie is so fixated on pandering to the emotions of its audience, especially in the melodramatic final reel, that most of the goodwill one brings to the project has pretty much evaporated by the time the closing credits come rolling by..
Why wouldn't children like to see a film where their father is taking care of them, looking out for their need, spending time with them and most of all listening to them.
I think that Idris Elba did a a good job of sounding like an American not the British born male that he is.
Monty (Idris Elba) is a mechanic trying to keep his ex-wife Jennifer (Tasha Smith) from gaining custody of their three little girls since she's been involved with a powerful local drug dealer.
When he convinces the smart and beautiful attorney Julia (Gabrielle Union) to assist him, sparks begin to fly.I wish I could say that Daddy's Little Girls was a good film but it barely ranks as an average one.
In one scene, Perry would be shown having a great time with Julia and then in the next scene, the three girls were suffering while living with their mother.
The underlying story that is in ALL of Tyler Perry's writings "trust God and he will never leave you" is all over this movie.
Yes, this probably my favorite Tyler Perry movie that I have ever seen, by far..
Idris Elba's Monty James is a hardworking, well-liked soul across town, known for his compassion to others and extreme dedication to his three daughters, who he is trying to provide with a better life since their mother (Tasha Smith) walked out.
All while simultaneously maintaining an honest relationship with the woman, and keeping a close eye on his girls, who are sent to live with their mother and her boyfriend after an incident at home.Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls is by far the most accomplished flick I've seen by him, combining sentimentality and parental-commitment for a truly winning blend of a human story.
The basis of the story, of course, was Monty's frantic need to get custody of his 3 daughters back from his ex-wife, who's hooked up with a drug dealer and seems to be into some pretty bad stuff herself.
That leads to his budding relationship with Julia (Gabrielle Union) - a high powered lawyer who had employed Monty as her driver for a while, and finds herself strangely drawn to him both personally and professionally, as she ends up representing him.
There's a lot of extraneous material thrown in - the community's combination of outrage and impotence against local drug dealers, the wrong side of the tracks romance between Monty and Julia, the situation the kids find themselves in when they're taken away from Monty and handed over to their mother.
Sometimes it seemed as if there was a bit too much extraneous material to be honest.What I liked about the movie was the decision to make the girls' father the good guy, and the fact that the black community living in Monty's neighbourhood was shown to be diverse and mostly good, honest folk with a few losers thrown in.
I also liked the performances from Elba and Union - they worked well together - and from the 3 McClain girls (I assume sisters themselves) who played Monty's children.
Loved this movie and rate it as Tyler Perry's best.
This one and 'Why did I get married' stand out to me.Idris Elba does a passable American in this as Monty, a mechanic fighting for custody of his daughters from his ex wife, played by the brilliant Tasha Smith.Gabrielle Union is really good and for my money one of the best actresses around.
But it is the three little girls, played by real life sisters Sierra, Lauryn and China McClain that stand out in this movie, they are brilliant actresses for their ages and have personalities that shine through.Also good to see Louis Gossett Jr. in a role that really suited him.The story is a good one and you root for him to get his daughters back.Great little movie, well worth a watch..
While the movie overall lacked many things that, like many other TP movies, made it lack the true quality of a well-crafted film, the overall plot brings a sense of happiness.I think the cast was one of the strong points of the movie, especially Gabby who did a really good job of shining some light on the "smart, sexy, successful black woman who just can't find a decent man" phenomenon that I've come to find was becoming more and more common based on some research.
I really liked this movie, and it was the best Tyler Perry film yet.
And even if the movie was bad, I respect Tyler Perry a great deal for what he's done for the black community.
I missed Madea from Tyler Perry's original play, a neighborhood scene would with a neighborhood Madea would have added more comedy to the movie .
the character choice for supporting roles worked well.Tyler Perry once again put forth the idea that family,religion,honesty comes before all else.The movie was not a sleeper.There are several scenes where the good guy does win within the limits of the law..
As for Tasha Smith the mother of Idris characters kids she is like a lot of females i know of where i live.
Tyler Perry makes socially aware type movies that are intended to reach people with similar issues and sending a message saying you don't have to be that way you can over come your problem if you choose to..
This movie felt like a maturing of a black film maker.
This is the best Tyler Perry movie yet!
This is the best Tyler Perry movie yet!
When his mother-in-law dies, Monty is left looking after his daughters and takes on extra work as a driver for young, pretty and very successful lawyer Julia.
While she works with him she begins to fall for his charms despite the gulf in their social status.I want to be clear that, although I came to this film off the back of The Wire, I did not expect it to be of the same quality (or even the same genre) and I did not come to it with my mind made up or some sort of chip on my shoulder that Elba should only do projects that Wire fans somehow approve of in line with his brilliant turn as Stringer Bell.
I understand that there is an element of Capraesque community fairytale here and I have no problem with that but didn't think it excused it from being "good" in areas of writing, characters and development.The reason for me coming to the film is one of its few strengths.
Tyler Perry we need a sequel with Monty and Julia married, and the parents of a blended family.
Idris Elba was fantastic in portraying his role, i felt that some his back story was weakly written and flimsy but he made the best of it and he was believable and natural in the "here and now" of the film.If you are one who likes sentimental films about strong morals and family you would enjoy this film.
I felt that this is one of the 1st movies Tyler Perry ever did..
Beautiful father and daughter story but not up to par compared to Perry's other movies..
Daddy's Little Girls may not have been the most successful movie but I thought it was very sweet.
I felt that everyone that was in the movies acted very well I believe that Tyler Perry really brought it out of them.
I thought that the movie was really cute but should have been better especially being a Tyler Perry film..
Directed by Tyler Perry, Daddy's Little girls is one of my favorite films of all time.
Tyler Perry, known for the infamous character "Madea", creates a love story between two people who come from two totally different backgrounds.
Idris Elba has been in forty films and twenty-three for Ms. Tasha Smith.I love the stories that are set up within the movie.
After spending time with Monty, Julia falls in love with her not so typical type.By the sound of all of that, you'd think that this movie is a bit complicated, but it is not.
These are some real life issues that are very much overlooked.I think all African-American mothers and father should see this movie.
It's the first film I ever watched with Idris Elba, and he's excellent as a good man trying to make an honorable return to life.
Gabrielle Union -- whom I've long felt is the most beautiful woman in the film industry -- is excellent as the not-so-Black-acting uptight lawyer who finally finds love in all the unexpected places.
Little did he know he'd fall in love with her?I like Why Did I Get Married and other heavy melodramas from Perry, but sometimes he goes a bit too far with it.
As far as sympathy goes, Perry did the job by making his character easy to like, and I was on his side the whole way.
While I did compliment it for not going too OTT like a lot of Perry films, Tasha Smith's monstrous character as the Mom felt ludicrously contrived at points.
When I look at it today, I realize that it's good, but not as good as the previous Tyler Perry movies.
The characters are fascinating, the situations are great, it causes a lot of great conflict and drama, and yet knows when to add humor.I love the stories that are set up here: a mechanic living in a poor neighborhood, Monty, is trying to raise 3 daughters, which is no easy task because he doesn't have much.
There are a couple more plots, like a delve into Monty's past and a situation with the community coming together and standing up to Jo and his thugs.By the sound of all of that, you'd think that this movie is a bit complicated.
I have watched Tyler Perry in many interviews and his father was very abusive so this movie was special for him to put out there.I believe the actors were OK.
If you think feel-good movies are sappy, don't watch this one -- but it's hard not to feel good to see a father win his three little girls back from his pathetic ex-wife and her drug dealer boyfriend....
Now I know that Hollywood, Independent film makers, and even Bollywood would be making a big mistake if they didn't make place this man in more leading roles.Gabrielle Union is excellent as Julia, a Ivy League Lawyer who wins all her cases but lacks the street skills to get along with the little people.
Revenge violence is not the answer, and when Tyler Perry ends his movie with the car assault on his ex-wife and the brutal beating of the drug dealer, he is doing the same thing his enemies did to him.
Overall this was a sad movie with a fairytale ending just like Tyler Perry's other movies..
In order to understand Tyler Perry's movies/plays, one must be able to put themselves in the shoes of at least on character, or be BLACK (most white people don't understand and those that do, know or have been around plenty of Black people and can interpret how WE think) YES I AM BLACK AND CAN READ!!!.
I honestly feel that Tyler Perry's previous movies were much better, I felt more affection towards the characters.
There just wasn't enough like in the other films by Perry.
Rated it 5/10 Hope that Perry goes back to making movies like Diary of a Mad black woman and Madea's family reunion..
Tyler, you got the cash, rent another camera and get those all knocked out at once.If the movie were didn't have the technical issues and writing style (like a play), it would have been a higher rated films, but despite that it was pretty enjoyable.