Daddy's Little Girls

In Edgewood, Atlanta, Monty James (Idris Elba) is a mechanic who dreams of owning his own shop. His three daughters, Sierra (Sierra McClain), Lauryn (Lauryn McClain), and China (China Anne McClain) live with their maternal grandmother Kat (Juanita Jennings), but Monty visits regularly and provides financial support. Before her death from lung cancer, Kat asks Monty to take custody of them since her daughter/Monty's ex-wife Jennifer (Tasha Smith) has no interest in the girls, caring more about her live-in boyfriend Joe (Gary Anthony Sturgis), the main drug dealer in the neighborhood who people are afraid of testifying against, knowing he'll have them killed if they did so.

Following Kat's funeral, Jennifer arrives with Joe and his thugs, upset that no one notified her of her mother’s death. She tries to physically take the girls from Monty, but her aunt Rita (Cassi Davis) steps in. She leaves, telling Monty that she intends to seek full custody of the girls.

In an effort to earn extra money, Monty accepts a job as a driver for attorney Julia Rossmore (Gabrielle Union) at the recommendation of his next-door neighbor Maya (Malinda Williams). When Monty and Julia meet, she insists they refrain from fraternizing and keep a strict schedule. Monty has to work later than expected one night after Julia’s friends Brenda (Terri J. Vaughn) and Cynthia (Tracee Ellis Ross) set her up on a blind date with Byron (Craig Robinson) who turns out to be an unemployed and obnoxious aspiring rapper. While driving her home, Monty receives a call that his children were involved in a house fire, so he immediately heads to the hospital without telling Julia, who fires him.

When Monty arrives at the hospital, it is revealed that Sierra accidentally started a fire and that the girls were home alone with no adult supervision until Maya rescued them. Julia follows Monty into the hospital to demand she be driven home as the Social Services representative Laurie Bell (Donna Biscoe) grants immediate temporary custody to Jennifer, setting a date for a custody hearing. Monty drives Julia home and they part ways. Julia hires a replacement driver and Monty returns to work as a mechanic. Meanwhile, the girls face constant abuse and neglect from Joe and Jennifer.

Monty is called to Sierra's school after she is caught with drugs. In a meeting with the principal, Sierra explains that Joe and Jennifer are forcing her to sell drugs under the threat of hurting Monty if she refused. Jennifer and Joe arrive, the latter threatening Monty. Aware that Joe can afford a high-power attorney for the custody hearing, Monty goes to Julia for help, but she knows that he cannot afford her and turns him away, assuming he only wants the girls to get government assistance. Feeling insulted, Monty leaves after telling Julia to get a life and a man.

Julia goes on another blind date with the attorney Christopher (Brian J. White), who she thinks is perfect for her until his wife and kids expose him. On the day of Monty’s custody hearing, Julia is leaving a different courtroom and overhears Monty’s failing attempt to represent himself. After listening to Monty try to inform the judge that the girls are living with a drug dealer, she steps in as his attorney and is able to get the hearing delayed. Julia agrees to represent him provided that case preparation occurs after office hours. Later, while preparing for the hearing, Julia asks Monty if there is anything bad she should know about him so that she is not surprised in court. They are interrupted by a phone call and the question goes unanswered.

Upon discovering it's her birthday and that Julia has no plans, Monty takes her to the jazz club in his neighborhood where they drink with his friends and dance. Julia kisses Monty and asks him to spend the night. Monty obliges, but a drunken Julia vomiting in the bathroom changes her mind and tells him to go home.

Over the next few weeks, Monty and Julia develop romantic feelings for each other. Monty invites her to meet his daughters at his apartment during his visitation. She continues to spend time with Monty and his girls and they take a trip to the aquarium. Julia runs into Brenda, who met Monty before and figures out that they are now a couple. Brenda pulls Julia to the side and berates her, stating that he is beneath her status. Monty overhears Julia’s friend and is hurt. She later opens up to Monty and tearfully tells him about her last relationship that ended in betrayal. Monty promises that he won’t betray her and they continue dating.

After being injured in a robbery, Monty's boss Willie decides to retire and offers to sell the shop to Monty for a $10,000 deposit that can be paid on a payment schedule. Monty accepts his offer.

At the child custody hearing, Julia argues that it would be in the children's best interest for Monty to be awarded custody and provides the court with a written statement from Kat stating the same. Jennifer's lawyer counters by claiming that Monty is not suitable to raise the girls due to a conviction of statutory rape that occurred 16 years prior. Julia feels betrayed because Monty never told her, so she stops representing him and leaves. Julia is later comforted by her friends.

At 3:00 am, Monty's daughters arrive at his house and inform him that Joe has been hitting them, showing bruises on China's back. While his daughters are asleep, a livid Monty flashes back to his arrest. He drives off, crashes into Jennifer and Joe's car, and mercilessly beats the latter, waking up the rest of the neighborhood. As Joe's thugs arrive and attack Monty, his neighbors rush to his defense and fight Joe's thugs. Julia sees a news report about the incident, and learns that Monty was wrongfully convicted of the rape charges. Upon hearing this, Julia rushes to help Monty.

Jennifer and Joe face drug charges, as law enforcement used the incident to search Joe's car and house. All of the neighbors decide to testify against Jennifer, Joe, and his thugs, so the judge has them taken into custody with no bond. Monty is then charged for attacking Joe, but Julia walks in to represent him, apologizing for not hearing his side of the story. The witnesses refuse to testify against Monty, so the judge dismisses the case. Monty tells Julia that he loves her.

Monty's daughters greet him and Julia at the auto shop, now owned by him. The rest of the neighborhood celebrates that he has full custody of his daughters and Jennifer, Joe, and his gang have finally been locked away.

Atlantic Records released Music inspired by the film: Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, in stores and online on January 16, 2007. Among the highlights of the album is "Family First," the first-ever recording by the Houston Family -- Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, and Cissy Houston. The song "Can't Let You Go" by Anthony Hamilton is not on the soundtrack. Also, the song "Beautiful" by Meshell Ndegeocello is featured in the movie.

1. Anthony Hamilton featuring Jaheim and Musiq Soulchild - "Struggle No More (The Main Event)"
2. R. Kelly - "Don't Let Go"
3. Tamika Scott of "Xscape" - "Greatest Gift"
4. Adrian Hood - "Brown Eyed Blues"
5. Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick and The Family - "Family First"
6. Yolanda Adams - "Step Aside"
7. Brian McKnight - "I Believe"
8. Beyoncé - "Daddy"
9. Anthony Hamilton - "Struggle No More"
10. Governor - "Blood, Sweat & Tears"
11. Charles "Gator" Moore - "A Change Is Gonna Come"

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12. 3McClainGirls - "Daddy's Girl"

• Official website
• Daddy's Little Girls at IMDb
• Daddy's Little Girls at Box Office Mojo
• Daddy's Little Girls at Rotten Tomatoes