Imagine That (film)

Imagine That is a 2009 fantasy comedy film starring Eddie Murphy, directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, and written by Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson.

Evan Danielson is a successful financial advisor, who had been working at the same securities firm for eight years as their top account manager, until Johnny Whitefeather was hired as his rival.

The top executives seem more content with chanting Indian-style noises than listening to how they can make money through sound investments.

When Evan discovers that his daughter, Olivia is able to tell the future within the financial world by using her "goo-gaa" comfort blanket and her imaginary friends (Queen Qwali and Princesses Kupida, Sopida and Mopida), he gains an invaluable upper hand at the office.

When he learns that Evan was just playing with a wakalyapi blanket, Whitefeather pays six thousand dollars for one, ordering his son to tell him the future and keeping him up all night by making him drink cans of Red Bull.

[2] Filming ran from 10 September to 14 December in 2007, at locations including Denver[3] and Los Angeles with Chicken Run screenwriter and Over the Hedge director Karey Kirkpatrick.

The site's critical consensus reads, "Despite a promising turn by newcomer Yara Shahidi, Imagine That is another pedestrian family comedy that squanders Eddie Murphy's comedic talents.

[10] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A to F.[11] Joe Leydon of Variety called it "An undemandingly pleasant, mildly amusing fantasy.

"[12] Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "The result is a much more playable film than recent efforts, though Murphy will have to share the applause with young Yara Shahidi.

"[13] Time Out's Trevor Johnston called the film "dreadfully flat" and gave it one out of five stars, chastising it for a lack of funny moments.

[14] Brandy McDonnell of The Oklahoman praised the filmmakers' restraint in not visualizing Olivia's fantasy worlds, instead inviting the viewer to share in Evan's efforts to navigate his daughter's imagination.