This is the film is not only the comeback that Eddie Murphy needed but the comeback he deserved.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Aug 30, 2018

Certain frustrations aside, Mr. Church does make you feel and on several occasions brings a quiet sense of beauty in a life lived with love and a few heartwarming moments.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 14, 2018

If you're in the mood for some soppy, sentimental stuff, give this film a try.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 6, 2017

The problem is that the character is so underwritten that Murphy has almost nothing to do other than look restrained and dignified.

Full Review | Sep 21, 2017

Man, this type of role is really out of pocket for Eddie Murphy. He isn't funny, and he isn't particularly interesting.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2017

Despite the whiff of awards bait, Murphy, one of America's comic treasures, delivers a refined and dignified performance, but his character remains a phantasmagorical presence from the first frame to the last.

Full Review | Nov 4, 2016

Very hokey and old-fashioned in its sensibilities, but Eddie Murphy's performance is excellent.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Sep 28, 2016

Murphy's understated portrayal is a highlight in an otherwise heavy-handed examination of the way in which troubled souls come together to form surrogate families.

Full Review | Sep 23, 2016

It's repugnant for its dehumanizing view (however unintentionally so) of a black man, and repugnant for its emptying-out of one of the great black performers of the time into a sanitized symbol of acceptable blackness.

Full Review | Sep 22, 2016

"Mr. Church" serves up comfort food in an era when every food truck and most indie films offer more interesting fare.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Sep 22, 2016

Cliched drama has sad moments, drinking, stereotypes.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 19, 2016

After helming this, an episode of Roots and Best Picture-winner Driving Miss Daisy, Beresford should be forced to join 'Subservient Cinematic Negroes Anonymous.'

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Sep 16, 2016

There are several things to like about a quiet drama like Mr. Church. But the thing that feels most notable about director Bruce Beresford's story of a young woman and her unique father figure is the presence of Eddie Murphy in the title role.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 16, 2016

"Mr. Church" isn't big on surprises, transforming into tearjerker mode for the finale, but it does have Murphy. It just doesn't know what to do with him.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Sep 16, 2016

We waited four years for a new Eddie Murphy movie ... and this is what we got?

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Sep 16, 2016

Those involved didn't just want to make any old tearjerker; they sought to squeeze their audience dry like a sponge.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Sep 16, 2016

Murphy's low-key but affecting performance is filled with loaded and loving glances. And the restraint becomes the 55-year-old star. If only the film were better.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 16, 2016

Eddie Murphy gives a thoughtful, nuanced, sensitive performance in a film that suffers from a too-predictable script and suffers even more from very bad timing.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Sep 15, 2016

Murphy gives the thankless role some soul, and bit of a twinkle in his eye, but it's not enough to free the movie from a swamp of phony sentimentality.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 15, 2016

Murphy is fine as the title character, although his performance consists mostly of suppressing all of his usual shtick. He certainly doesn't endow Mr. Church with any unexpected depths. But then neither does the script.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 15, 2016