A family-friendly movie that presents equal doses of immaturity and seriousness, making the event more evenly entertaining than one might expect.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 28, 2020

While Shahidi shines, the rest of the cast of Imagine That falls woefully short.

| Original Score: 2.0/4.0 | Sep 11, 2020

A disappointment is that the film eventually veers into predictable territory...but along the way, Murphy and the sparkling Shahidi develop wonderful chemistry, Church gamely steals the show, and the film's star sings, dances and even freaks out.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 8, 2018

| Original Score: B- | Feb 18, 2012

It's silly enough that its target audience should get a kick out of it and its bearable for adults, and as far as family films go that's a lot better than you can usually expect.

| Original Score: 6.5/10 | Mar 27, 2011

You might chuckle a couple of times, but it is literally a couple, and that's nowhere near enough humour, especially for kids.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 15, 2010

[Murphy] continues to treat his career like it were a game of limbo, as Imagine That sees the once gifted comedian stoop to a horrendous new low.

Full Review | Original Score: .5/5 | Oct 5, 2009

Murphy struggles to find work in other genres, but given the way he indulges himself with funny faces and voices, it's equally possible that he genuinely likes acting alongside children.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 17, 2009

An uncharacteristically restrained performance by Eddie Murphy, a sharply funny supporting role filled by Thomas Haden Church, and a beguiling new child actor, Yara Shahidi, make this fantasy-comedy about the power of imagination agreeable enough.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 16, 2009

Ham fisted and formulaic, Imagine That nevertheless has some endearing qualities to save it from the trash can %u2013 notably Yara Shahidi, the cute little bundle whose smartly innocent presence and likeable little face are so loved by the camera that dir

| Sep 15, 2009

Eddie Murphy, in his hyperactive comedic guise, is in fine fettle in this family-friendly comedy, although he is largely upstaged by his enchanting 7 year old co-star Yara Shahidi, who steals scenes as quickly as Murphy talks.

| Sep 15, 2009

Twenty years ago it would've been hard to imagine that the typical formula for an Eddie Murphy vehicle would have changed so dramatically.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 31, 2009

It's a sad reflection on Eddie Murphy's career that the best thing you can say about Imagine That is that there aren't any fat suits.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Aug 30, 2009

[A] characteristically laboured comedy.

| Aug 17, 2009

It's anodyne stuff and not funny enough.

| Aug 17, 2009

Imagine That is a sweet surprise of a film that goes some way to restoring Murphy's reputation.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 14, 2009

Murphy at least tries to stay in character rather than overdoing the silly voices and physical knockabout, but maybe the material was so blah that he felt it wasn't worth the effort.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Aug 14, 2009

Short of laughs, sense and morality, this is an awkward, peculiar, peculiarly American, endeavour.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 14, 2009

You're left with the feeling that the film-makers don't see a conflict between the profit motive and paternal love.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 14, 2009

There really isn't a spark of genuine humour or life in the entire thing, and the movie grinds its way to a syrupy finale.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Aug 14, 2009