|
"Cheaper by the Dozen" is no gem, but I'm always
impressed with movies that surpass my expectations. I
really had no intention of seeing this movie. I'm a Steve
Martin fan, and I even liked "Bringing Down the House"
better than the majority of critics. But I'm never eager
about seeing a movie that centers on a group of bratty kids.
I'm not a kid person in real life, so I'm not a big fan of them
in the movies either (later I'll discuss more reasons why).
Steve
Martin and Bonnie Hunt play a mild-mannered couple, who tackle
the biggest possible task: handling 12--that's right,
12!!!--children. Actually, it's 11 children they're stuck
with, since the oldest of the bunch (Piper Perabo) is all grown
up and dating an egotistical aspiring actor (Ashton Kutcher).
Hunt is an
up-and-coming novelist, and Martin is a college football coach.
He gets the opportunity to coach a team in a different town.
The problem? His wife and kids don't want to move away
from the house in which they grew up and shared many memories.
Not to mention the new town is full of stuck-up, pampered rich
folks. As Martin becomes increasingly busy with coaching
and Hunt travels out of town on a book tour for her latest novel
(titled "Cheaper by the Dozen"), tensions increase and
the family struggles to become the same happy family they were at
the start.
Back to
what I can't stand about kid movies. First of all, the kid
characters speak in dialogue that I'd never hear kids use in
real life. Basically, you're listening to them deliver
witty quips with mangled inflection. You may as well show
me the cue card while you're at it. Second problem:
the kids spend more time being cute than acting. Third
problem: there's bound to be no shortage of crude,
low-brow slapstick.
Now, the
movie does contain those three elements, and the comedy is
hit-or-miss. What saves it? It has real heart.
Unlike I'd expect from a movie of this type, the serious moments
are down to earth and don't feel overly sentimental. The
movie deals with subjects involving parenting and family values
that will most probably hit home.
"Cheaper by the Dozen" gets off to a slow start,
but as I became more engaged in the family's struggle, I became
more engaged in the film. Plus, it was directed by the
same guy responsible for that clunker "Just Married"
with Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy (after 30 minutes, I
immediately returned the DVD to my local video store). So
I was amusingly surprised on that note as well.
--
Matt
( 2 1/2 out of 4 pops )
Talk
about this film with other Popkorn Junkies |
