I wish they'd changed the title on this so people wouldn't expect an updated version of the classic. It starts out as a feel-good family film with unrealistic perky, tidy mom caring for this huge family. Then it shifts gears into selfish mom and dad moving ahead with their careers and suddenly letting the children shift for themselves. Chaos ensues and all the children are miserable. I'm guessing the intended audience is 8 to 12 years olds who could laugh at the pratfalls, misadventures, and rebellious kids. As an adult, maybe I just can't appreciate the humor of someone slipping and falling in vomit or kids plotting and setting the disliked boyfriend up for a crotch attack by the family dog. Steve Martin has to make serious decisions about his career as a coach vs his family needs. He doesn't get much of a laugh in this, not like his early movies. Probably good to while away an hour or so if you don't have something better to do. As for me, I had to watch Bad Santa right afterwards to cheer me up. Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt are wonderful in this family movie and I just loved it. Tom and Bonnie are highschool sweethearts, who fall in love, marry and have 12 children. You can see how much they are in love right from the beginning, however the trouble starts when Tom gets his dream job as a football coach and they move from their comfortable home where everyone is happy. Now they must adjust to a new life, which is always hard for children and to top it off Bonnie writes a book and makes it big time. Going on a book tour, she leaves the children to the charge of Tom, who is already dealing with the pressures of his job. Everything that can happen does happen and for a while their lives are going downhill. But, love pulls this family together and the wrongs are righted, it was great! If you want a good family, feel good movie then you need to watch this one. Acting was good, story was good and there was a lot of humor mixed in. Well worth your time.
Review of Cheaper by the Dozen 2
