Mr. Church (Eddie Murphy), Marie (Natascha McElhone) and Charlotte (Britt Robertson).
MR. CHURCH
Film Review by Marlene Ardoin
“Mr. Church” is not a tragedy, rather it is more about love and compassion. Eddie Murphy elevates this niche, but every time he attempts a drama, he is ignored.
This film’s theme focuses on the predicament of being poor in America, and about how it gives us the opportunity to nurture each other in its finest sense.
The story features a single mom, Marie (Natascha McElhone), who has one daughter, Charlotte (Britt Robertson as the older Charlotte and Natalie Coughlin as young Charlotte).
Mr. Church (Eddie Murphy) was hired by Richard, Marie’s deceased, married, ex-lover, to cook for her for six months, by which time, Marie is expected to die of cancer.
In return, Mr. Church will not have to worry about his finances for the rest of his life, receiving a lifetime salary.
The little girl, Charlotte, is not provided for in Richard’s will.
By taking this role, Murphy is sure to offend everyone. The racist white will not want him to care for two white women, and the racist Black population will not understand why he would even consider such a subservient Black role.
I get why Murphy’s serious acting is ignored. Except, everyone who sees this film, comes out enthralled by the amount of love that is displayed by every single character in this film.
Little Charlotte grows up to make her own mistakes, coming to the realization that Mr. Church is the only family she has.
Charlotte does pull her moral weight in this story. A poor, white young man, Larson (Christian Madsen) finds that she is his only friend, and allows her to pull him out of his deepest despair.
Mr. Church has his own demons, but through service to others (not just Charlotte and Marie), he redeems himself.
This story rings true. Having been raised by a single mom myself, I found that I could really relate.
We live in a country that worships riches above all else. This can really play havoc on the self-esteem of those who do not make it in such a world.
You usually do not get asked to the prom. You may remember, who cared enough to teach you how to drive a car. And, the belief that you are not worthy of love is hard to shake.
The truth is that we all matter in each other’s lives. We all matter, and we all have the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life.
Mr. Church is a 2016 American drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Susan McMartin that is well worth the price of admission. Hopefully, it will be out on DVD soon
10/24/16 # Mr. Church