A Tyler Perry movie is absolutely nothing like a box of chocolates ? you always know what you're gonna get. For the most part this means every conceivable African-American stereotype, a good dose of sermonising and a healthy spattering of self-righteous violence. Oh, and Tyler Perry in drag.

In a somewhat daring move, his latest offering 'Daddy's Little Girls' breaks the mould ? there is no Tyler Perry in drag. In fact, he doesn't feature at all, which should really be viewed as a positive. Unfortunately, the rest is as formulaic as it comes.

Mechanic Monty (Idris Elba) is struggling to make ends meet as he tries to set up his own business. He dotes on his three girls Sierra, China and Lauryn (real life sisters with the same names with the surname McCain) but is faced with further troubles when their caring grandmother dies.

As he becomes locked in a bitter custody battle with their crack whore drug-dealer-dating mother Jennifer (Tasha Smith) he is forced to take on extra work as a chauffer. On the job he meets stuck-up Ivy league lawyer Julia (Gabrielle Union) ? a beautiful and highly successful woman who just happens to be in search of a good man.

Needless to say, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how it ends. For stalwart Perry fans, there are the customary wholesome church scenes, a whole bunch of cliched declarations and a spectacularly stupid car-crash scene.