Hart shows range in tearjerker ‘Fatherhood’
Diesel says ‘Fast and Furious’ saga planning an ending
Kevin Hart can make us laugh and cry, it seems, even if the vehicle was practically engineered to bring on the waterworks. In “Fatherhood,” on Netflix on Friday, he plays a new dad whose wife dies shortly after childbirth and he’s left raising their daughter on his own.
To be fair, there’s been many built-in tearjerkers that have failed (remember “Life Itself”?). But something has to go very, very wrong for a film to mess up that kind of premise. “Fatherhood” doesn’t just succeed on that emotional level, though — it’s also a cut about the rest, thanks to a smart and funny and basically authentic script (director Paul Weitz and Dana Stevens) and Hart’s inspired casting.
The story is based on Matthew Logelin’s memoir, “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love,” about losing his wife after she gave birth to their daughter. Since its publication 10 years ago, it’s had a few different lives, first as a Lifetime movie, then as a Channing Tatum vehicle, before finally landing Weitz (“About a Boy”) as a director and Hart as his star.
Hart plays Matt, a Boston professional with a beautiful wife. The film introduces him at her funeral, before cutting back to how it happened. The script does a good job at introducing you to Matt and Liz (Deborah Ayorinde) and making her more than just a bland standin for “wife” while you brace for what’s coming. And of course, it’s not about them but Matt and his baby daughter, Maddy. He doesn’t even have time to grieve. He’s got a little human to keep alive.
“Fatherhood” smooths out many of the edges of real life. Money does not seem to be a worry for Matt, he has parents and in-laws (Alfre Woodard is terrific as his mother-in-law) who are more than willing to take him and Maddy back to Minnesota, and his early parenting trials are all presented in palatable, bite-sized does. One day is crib set-up. One day she screams a lot. There’s even a “babies are hard but funny” montage set to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It,” where we breeze through installing a car seat and almost leaving it (with a baby inside) at the grocery store. This is not a “Tully”-style representation of the deep exhaustion of caring for an infant.
The film does a good job balancing the drama with the comedy however, and is helped by a strong supporting cast, including Lil Rel Howery and Anthony Carrigan as Matt’s best friends.
Moments
And within the sitcom dramedy aesthetic, there are moments of truth and grace, from Matt panic-vacuuming to simulate white noise so the colic-y baby can sleep to him pleading with his mother-in-law that he’ll never know if he’s a good parent if he doesn’t get the chance to try. It’s never entirely clear why he doesn’t want their help or needs to move back to their hometown.
“Fatherhood” skips forward to kindergarten, which is a little jarring, but it’s nice to see Maddy (Melody Hurd) with a personality and point of view and to give Hart someone other than a baby to connect with. It also allows the film to introduce a love interest (played by DeWanda Wise). You may never be surprised by where “Fatherhood” is going, but you forgive it, too.
It’s all done with a good heart. Even the cliché moments are understandable. Sometimes brutal realism is overrated when it comes to newborns in movies. And, let’s be honest, you’re much more likely to re-watch “Fatherhood” than “Tully.”
“Fatherhood,” a Netflix release is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for “some strong language, and suggestive material.” Running time: 109 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
Also:
LOS ANGELES: Vin Diesel made a mark as the street racer patriarch in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, but the storyline starring his longstanding character will soon come to an end.
Diesel said in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press that the “Fast and Furious” saga will conclude after two more films following the upcoming ninth installment, “F9,” which releases in theaters June 25. He said Universal Pictures wants to close out the saga in two parts.
The actor said the final two films could potentially release in 2023 then 2024.
“Every story deserves its own ending,” said Diesel during a press junket for “F9” when asked about the franchise’s future. Despite the end of the saga, he said the “Fast and Furious” cinematic universe will continue on.
When Diesel told his daughter about the franchise’s conclusion, the actor said she began shedding tears.
“I know people are going to feel like it doesn’t have to end, but I think all good things should,” he said. “There are reasons for a finale. I think this franchise has deserved it.”
Diesel has starred as Dominic Toretto since the franchise’s inaugural film “The Fast and Furious” in 2001. The movies have become big earners at the domestic and international box office, with the past two films each making more than $1 billion.
Last year, Universal pushed back the release of “F9” due to the coronavirus outbreak. The new film not only brings back a fan favorite — Sung Kang’s Han — along with new additions including John Cena, but the story will also literally send a car into space. It’s expected to be one of the season’s biggest hits.
Director Justin Lin said the idea of finishing the saga came during a conversation with Diesel, who has played the leading role in eight “Fast and Furious” films.
“We got together and Vin says ’I think we should think about closing up the saga now,’” said Lin, who has directed five of the franchise’s films. He will direct the final two installments.
“Nine is kind of the first film of the final chapter,” the director said. “We’re kind of reconfiguring everything, so that the next two movies should wrap up this amazing journey for these characters.”
Diesel said the franchise has come a long way, but he finally sees a finish line.
“This franchise was born from the pavement, from the concrete,” he said. “The world just championed this underdog to a place where it has already surpassed all of these other franchises. But the franchise has a soul, and that soul has to rest.” (AP)