After four years away from the big screen, Eddie Murphy is playing the quiet-but-caring type in Mr. Church. You know the drill: The more Eddie Murphy stoically endures, the soggier you find your popcorn getting. In the ’70s-set film, Murphy plays the titular cook, a man who is hired to take care of a dying woman (Natascha McElhone) and her daughter (Britt Robertson) for six months, only to loyally stick around for the long haul as he gets attached to the family. That the film’s trailer already preys on the integrity of tear ducts everywhere should be no surprise — Mr. Church, which is based on the life of screenwriter Susan McMartin, is also a return to filmmaking for director Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy). The film will be released September 16 — plenty of time to find someone to take you to see it.
