Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (C- or 1.5/4 stars)
First off, worst title ever. Come on guys, couldn't you think of something a bit more original than 'Cheaper By The Dozen 2'? This is a sequel to 2003's Cheaper By The Dozen which was based on a 1948 book by Frank B. Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. It was also a 1950 film that inspired the making of this up-to-date series. Adam Shankman directs. This is a very simplistic, linear movie. Everything is laid out for you, the audience, as if you were a five year old. Having not seen the 2003 movie, that did not rattle me. I was sure that I could pickup who everyone was and what is going on ... I was not wrong. I am assuming Cheaper By The Dozen grossed enough money and garnered stellar critiques to warrant a sequel. With that assumption, they probably should have stuck with their original.
Goofy Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and rival, Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy) revive a family sports competition by vacation spot, Lake Winnetka. Tom convinces Kate (Helen Hunt), and his kids to head up to the lake one last time before they all grow-up & start to not 'care about family tradition'. Kate meets Jimmy's new wife, Sarina (Carmen Electra) and they both realize that this competition is strictly between both grown-up men (who put their wives & children in the middle of it all). In fact, both wives, and both sets of children like each other & don't want to compete against each other in a ridiculous competition. All components of this plot are mundane. Fireworks set-off by early some of the kids at a July 4th clam bake displays this done-to-death plot component.
One side-plot that's handled well involves Tom's young daughter, Sarah, liking Eliot, one of Murtaugh's sons. Sarah plays the 8th grader-nervous-about-her-first-date role perfectly. Young love between these two young actors is portrayed adorably. And Hunt and Martin handle these scenes very well. Steve Martin has been hit-and-miss lately. Shopgirl is a success. But Bringing Down the House was just alright. And this last one did nothing to help his dwindling career; this is a shame as I feel he is one of great comedians of all time. The jury is still out on how he'll handle Pink Panther. And Eugene Levy's comedic timing and flare was not utilized in this role AT ALL. Bonnie Hunt is fine, but even she seems bored by the screenplay. And Carmen Electra handles her role as best as she can.
In truth, some rare moments are both cute and/or life-lessony. And my little brother, little sister, and handfuls of youngins in the theater giggled with delight, quite often. The movie is warm & passive. But was there cursing/screaming in this film? No. Sibling rivalry? No. Dirty elbows? No. Sctratches & bumps? No. Already, the film is sugar-coated and unrealistic. But as I say, there are flashes of warmth, passivity, harmlessness. Everything else about the film seemed rather lackluster, nonchalant ... unnecessary.
Goofy Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and rival, Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy) revive a family sports competition by vacation spot, Lake Winnetka. Tom convinces Kate (Helen Hunt), and his kids to head up to the lake one last time before they all grow-up & start to not 'care about family tradition'. Kate meets Jimmy's new wife, Sarina (Carmen Electra) and they both realize that this competition is strictly between both grown-up men (who put their wives & children in the middle of it all). In fact, both wives, and both sets of children like each other & don't want to compete against each other in a ridiculous competition. All components of this plot are mundane. Fireworks set-off by early some of the kids at a July 4th clam bake displays this done-to-death plot component.
One side-plot that's handled well involves Tom's young daughter, Sarah, liking Eliot, one of Murtaugh's sons. Sarah plays the 8th grader-nervous-about-her-first-date role perfectly. Young love between these two young actors is portrayed adorably. And Hunt and Martin handle these scenes very well. Steve Martin has been hit-and-miss lately. Shopgirl is a success. But Bringing Down the House was just alright. And this last one did nothing to help his dwindling career; this is a shame as I feel he is one of great comedians of all time. The jury is still out on how he'll handle Pink Panther. And Eugene Levy's comedic timing and flare was not utilized in this role AT ALL. Bonnie Hunt is fine, but even she seems bored by the screenplay. And Carmen Electra handles her role as best as she can.
In truth, some rare moments are both cute and/or life-lessony. And my little brother, little sister, and handfuls of youngins in the theater giggled with delight, quite often. The movie is warm & passive. But was there cursing/screaming in this film? No. Sibling rivalry? No. Dirty elbows? No. Sctratches & bumps? No. Already, the film is sugar-coated and unrealistic. But as I say, there are flashes of warmth, passivity, harmlessness. Everything else about the film seemed rather lackluster, nonchalant ... unnecessary.