Plot
Childhood sweethearts Matt and Liz Logelin prepare for the birth of their first child. Soon after delivering their daughter, Maddy, Liz suddenly suffers a pulmonary embolism and dies. Matt is devastated, but is determined to raise Maddy as a single parent. His friends and family, however, are concerned that he may not have the skills or patience to handle raising Maddy alone. Liz's mother, Marion, who has a tense relationship with Matt, is who feels this the most strongly. After he refuses to let her stay for six months to help care for Maddy or move back to his hometown of Minnesota, Marion warns him that Maddy needs family and female role models, and that he has to think about what is best for her. Though Matt initially struggles with the demands of Maddy's care while working full-time, grieving Liz, and suffering from sexism and insensitivity from others who do not respect his role in his daughter's life, he eventually succeeds with the help of friends and fellow parents. Maddy grows into a confident and tomboyish young girl, while Matt is set up at a party with a mutual friend. Though he is unnerved that her name is Lizzie, they hit it off and begin dating. Though Maddy initially does not like the idea of her father dating, she quickly warms up to Lizzie, and they become friends. But when Maddy is injured on the playground and Matt does not hear the school's phone calls while sleeping with Lizzie, he fears that dating her is getting in the way of focusing on Maddy's needs. He breaks up with her, which upsets Maddy. Matt and Maddy travel back to Minnesota for Marion's birthday. Maddy, beginning to feel the absence of a mother figure in her life more acutely, is overjoyed to be able to stay in her mother's old room and learn more about Liz. Matt, however, is unhappy seeing Liz's room changed, and insists that it is confusing for Maddy. When he tries to leave with her, she insists that she is happier here with family and reminders of her mother. Believing that he has repeatedly failed to understand Maddy's real needs, Matt reluctantly leaves her with her grandparents and returns home alone. Despite success at work and an anticipated promotion, Matt misses Maddy and blames himself for being a bad father. When in the airport, preparing for a long business trip abroad, Matt is overwhelmed with sights of fatherhood and leaves to go back to Minnesota, where he reunites with Maddy and makes up with her. With Marion's blessing, they return home, where Matt rekindles his relationship with Lizzie.Cast
* Kevin Hart as Matthew Logelin * Melody Hurd as Maddy Logelin * Alfre Woodard as Marion * Lil Rel Howery as Jordan * DeWanda Wise as Lizzie Swan * Anthony Carrigan as Oscar * Paul Reiser as Howard * Deborah Ayorinde as Liz Logelin * Teneisha Collins as Ms. Lillian Burns * Frankie Faison as MikeProduction
In July 2012, it was reported that Marta Kauffman, Denise Di Novi and Allison Greenspan were developing a television film adaptation of Matthew Logelin's memoir ''Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love'' for theRelease
''Fatherhood'' was initially scheduled to be released in theaters on April 3, 2020, but on January 6, 2020, it was delayed to January 8, 2021. Later that year, it was pushed back a week to January 15, 2021. On March 30, 2020, it was brought forward to October 23, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 24, 2020, it was delayed to April 2, 2021, and on November 19, 2020, it was delayed again to April 16, 2021. It was then announced that Netflix had acquired the worldwide distribution rights (except China) to the film fromHome media
''Fatherhood'' was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on June 14, 2022 byReception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 66% based on 70 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "''Fatherhood'' offers few surprises, but strong work from a smartly assembled cast gives this fact-based story real emotional resonance." According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 53 out of 100 based on 18 critics, the film received "mixed or average reviews". William Bibbiani of the '' TheWrap'' praised Hart's "confidently laid-back and affable lead performance," and wrote, "Perhaps a little too slight to be memorable in the long run, this sensitive and charming tale reassures without, somehow, completely ignoring reality." From '' The Hollywood Reporter'', Lovia Gyarkye called the film "both an effective star vehicle and a tender tearjerker," and said, "Hart, usually known for his comedy... embraces a more dramatic side here, and is surprisingly convincing in these moments."References
External links
* {{Kevin Hart 2021 comedy-drama films 2020s English-language films African-American comedy-drama films African-American films Columbia Pictures films English-language Netflix original films Films about father–daughter relationships Films about widowhood Films based on memoirs Films directed by Paul Weitz Films scored by Rupert Gregson-Williams Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic Films set in Boston Films shot in Boston Films shot in Montreal Higher Ground Productions films Temple Hill Entertainment films 2020s American films