Imagine That is a pleasant enough Eddie Murphy comedy that’s far from his best but merits a look nonetheless because it actually seems to rely on him, rather than fat suits, talking animals, special effects or jokes about pee and poop, to try and make us laugh.

Granted, it is still a family flick with a gimmick, one that sees Murphy playing a stressed-out financial executive who suddenly starts getting amazingly reliable financial tips from his daughter (Yara Shahidi) thanks to the imaginary friends she supposedly sees with the help of her blanket.

I won’t deny that it’s all pretty predictable, that the little girl is adorable or that it takes a little while for Murphy to loosen up. We also never learn exactly how the moppet gets her information, and never is it even mentioned that she might need to see a therapist pronto. And Murphy’s transformation into a better person doesn’t work since he’s not really that mean a guy to begin with.

But even though this isn’t Murphy in top form, he still seems more energized than in his other recent efforts. The faces he makes-at the sight of expired milk, when asking about his ex-wife’s new beau-are hilarious, as is his dancing in public and his reaction to his kid drowning his burnt pancakes in ketchup and chocolate syrup and mustard.

He gets plenty of humorous help from Thomas Haden Church as a rival exec competing with Murphy for their firm’s top job whose pseudo-Native American act charms and impresses the top dogs but drives Murphy nuts. At one point Murphy jokingly asks an unpaid intern to inquire if it would be legal to stab Church, and the intern actually follows through.

Director Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Hedge) moves things along at a decent pace and fills the soundtrack with pleasant covers of Beatles tunes, including one performed by a children’s choir that makes for a true moment of “aww.” It’s also neat to see Murphy reunite with Beverly Hills Cop co-star Ronny Cox (as his boss), especially in a movie where he (kind of) feels funny again. – [DVD]

Comedy/Drama/Fantasy

Rated PG

DVD Release Date: 10/6/09

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