Cheaper By The Dozen (2003)

  Plot Summary

Most people have problems balancing their work and family life but for Tom (Steve Martin) and Kate (Bonnie Hunt) there is a further complication; they have children; lots and lots of children.  Tom and Kate lead a hectic life looking after and supporting their twelve children.  They are busy but live happily in the country where Tom is the football coach at the local school.  Things change when Tom is offered a big coaching job, with a great salary, in the city.  Tom and Kate are stretched to the limit trying to keep control of their unruly offspring.  The kids aren't happy about the move and the new lifestyle.  That's when the trouble starts... 

Review

This family comedy is a remake of a 1950's movie.  It's a straightforward story about the parents of a large family trying to make a comfortable living while trying to keep the kids happy and give them love and attention.  Not an easy thing to do when there are twelve of them.  The movie has an old-fashioned feel about it.  The humour is easy going; not overly clever but relatively entertaining.  Unfortunately there isn't enough story or humour to take the movie out of the ordinary.  The old-fashioned feel might lead to a harmless, kid friendly movie but ultimately it's forgettable.

Another criticism of the movie is that it gets a bit sentimental in parts.  This is particularly true of the ending when, predictably, family values win out and all the members of the family realise that family is more important than earning the big bucks.

Steve Martin is funny but this is not him at his best.  He was far funnier in movies like Roxanne, Father Of The Bride, L.A. Story and many others.  He is overshadowed by the children and most of the laughs arise from their unruly antics.

Bonnie Hunt (The Green Mile, Jerry Maguire, Rain Man) plays Kate the mother of the gang.  She is trying to launch her book, which is about her family, but the demands of her children make it difficult.  Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly) plays Nora, the eldest of the brood, who has flown the coup but finds that she keeps being drawn back to help out when the family moves to the city.

The Bottom Line: Harmless light family entertainment that won't leave an impression.

Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews 2004

Genre: Family Comedy

Certificate: PG

Director: Shawn Levy

~ Main Cast ~

Steve Martin

Bonnie Hunt

Piper Perabo

Tom Welling

Ashton Kutcher

Hilary Duff

RATING

ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO