"Cheaper By The Dozen" Movie Review
The Movie Reporter
Films Reviews from a Family Perspective by Phil Boatwright
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Cheaper By The Dozen. Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Hillary Duff, Piper Perabo, Ashton Kutcher. 20th Century Fox. Family comedy. W-Sam Harper, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow. D-Shawn Levy.
This #147;update#148; of the 1950 Clifton Webb classic concerns a devoted couple raising twelve children. More like #147;Yours Mine and Ours,#148; this new version is a pale imitation of either of those earlier films, with
holes
in plausibility #150; make that
canyons
#150; and few memorable moments. Okay, that#146;s the critic in me. Now, just as a moviegoer who still likes theater popcorn, I had a good time with this film. True, it#146;s no
#147;Life With Father,#148;
but it had some very funny moments and a couple of touching ones as well. What#146;s more, it was like stepping back in time, for this is the cleanest movie I have seen all year. No bad language, no off-color humor, the husband and wife love each other, and get this, the family is religious. Not much is made out of their faith, but it is dramatized by the fact that the parents do not accept their grown-up daughter living with her guy outside of marriage. When the daughter comes home to help out during a crisis, the boyfriend sneaks over. When finding out that the young couple slept together, her folks are incensed, proclaiming #147;This is a G-rated house.#148; They love their daughter, but it is clear that their religious values are to be adhered to while under their roof. I haven#146;t heard that declaration in movies for quite some time. As a matter of fact, the last time I remember the praises of virginity until marriage upheld in a movie was in the very funny and warm #147;Yours, Mine and Ours.#148; In that film the father tells his stepdaughter, #147;It#146;s not going to bed with someone that shows you#146;re in love. It#146;s getting up with them in the morning and facing life together.#148;
Here, the story has been time-warped from the turn of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st. Pops has been given his dream job, coaching the football team of his old alma mater, and uproots the family, something none of them are thrilled about. Poor dears, they move to an incredible home, and no longer have to wear hand-me-downs. Not exactly child abuse, but they behave like movie kids are supposed to, sullen and selfish.
Mom also has an exciting career. She#146;s the author of a biographical novel entitled #150; oh, come on, guess the title. When she has to go on a two-week book tour and dad is left behind with a neighborhood of kids all living under the same roof, well, havoc ensues. For the sake of situation comedy, dad can#146;t get any domestic help because he has so many kids, and therefore he unsuccessfully balances a work schedule with a clumsy attempt at governing home life.
The saving grace for this film is found in its two stars, Martin and Hunt. Bonnie Hunt, the star of TV#146;s
#147;Life With Bonnie,#148;
has a relaxed manner and a quick wit. And Steve Martin, nearly always funny, is sensitive and believable. The couple work well together.
So, now back to being a critic, My main problem with this film is the kids. They are just a bit too bratty and too stagy. In a family that size, discipline and responsibility would be a forgone conclusion, working together expected. But while mom is off, none of the older kids do much to be supportive. They gripe about dad never being there for them, despite the fact that dad#146;s out making this great living for them. Other plot holes become somewhat annoying, but the leads come through and moviegoers are left with a fun, holiday family film.
PG (I caught no bad language during the film, with only a mild expletive from Ms. Hunt and a bleeped profanity from Ashton Kutcher during the outtakes during the final credits; some of the kids get a little smart-alecky, but they all pull together at the end and we are left with a strong family portrait; a vomit scene is a bit graphic; a young couple are seen nestling in bed the morning after, but they are later chastised for sleeping together, giving movie audiences a message they seldom hear in movies about chastity; a dog attacks a man #150; this is played for laughs, and it is more playful than vicious; positive lessons including the difficulty of #147;having it all#148;).
DEFINITIONS
Crudity
- A word or action lacking in culture, tact
Expletive
- A mild obscenity or needless expression
Obscenity
- Objectionable or repugnant to acceptable standards of decency or morality; indecent; pornographic
Profanity
- Irreverence toward God
Blasphemy
- To speak contemptuously of God
Adult subject matter
- Situations or subjects unsuitable for or difficult to comprehend by children
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. "Know Before You Go" reg;Philip Boatwright, Editor Film/Video Reviews from a Family Perspective, Email:
moviereporter@sbcglobal.net
. Published by C. C. Publications, 835 Northstar Ct., Tonganoxie, KS 66086. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com
