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Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
Fans of either version of Yours, Mine, and Ours might have a head start with Cheaper by the Dozen, the saccharine and predictable 2003 remake of the 1950 Clifton Webb classic, that doesn't bring anything fresh or fun to the original film.
The film stars Steve Martin as Tom Baker, a football coach, who is married to Kate (Bonnie Hunt), a writer and are the parents of 12 children (the eldest, Nora, lives with her boyfriend), whose lives are turned upside down twice when Tom accepts a new job that forces the family to movie and just when they're getting settled in, Kate learns that the book she has been writing about her life is going to be published and she has to go to Manhattan for a few days, which, of course, turns into a few weeks.
Screenwriter Craig Titley actually adapted the screenplay for this film from the 1950 screenplay, which doesn't mean a lot because basically this is film is just a very long sitcom episode that offers nothing we've haven't seen before. This story tries to blame Tom and Kate for their children being miserable and, if the truth be told, what we have here is a bunch of children that have been spoiled rotten and pretty much ignore anything their parents tell them.
Director Shawn Levy (Date Night) puts a lot of work in presenting a lot of silly slapstick situations for the Baker children, but it all has a familiar air of "been there done that" about it. We get a lot of physical destruction of the new house, including a running gag with a chandelier. We also get a lot of children vomiting and running upstairs without cleaning it up. My mother would have beat me silly if I ever threw up on the kitchen floor and walked away. And don't get me started on the younger kids going to a birthday party they've already been told they can't attend with a snake as a present.
Steve Martin is so subdued in the starring role that he is barely recognizable in a role that plays to none of his strengths, but Bonnie Hunt is a charmer as Kate (whatever happened to her?). Oldest son Charlie is blandly played by Tom Welling, who went on to play Clark Kent on Smallville. Paula Marshall and Alan Ruck are fun as the Baker's neighbors and Wayne Knight is fun as the chandelier repairman. Ashton Kutcher steals every scene he's in as Nora's boyfriend. Fans of Desperate Housewives might also recognize Shane and Brent Kinsman, who played Porter and Preston Scavo on that show. as twins Nigel and Kyle here, but this movie is really a snooze fest that actually inspired a sequel.
Fans of either version of Yours, Mine, and Ours might have a head start with Cheaper by the Dozen, the saccharine and predictable 2003 remake of the 1950 Clifton Webb classic, that doesn't bring anything fresh or fun to the original film.
The film stars Steve Martin as Tom Baker, a football coach, who is married to Kate (Bonnie Hunt), a writer and are the parents of 12 children (the eldest, Nora, lives with her boyfriend), whose lives are turned upside down twice when Tom accepts a new job that forces the family to movie and just when they're getting settled in, Kate learns that the book she has been writing about her life is going to be published and she has to go to Manhattan for a few days, which, of course, turns into a few weeks.
Screenwriter Craig Titley actually adapted the screenplay for this film from the 1950 screenplay, which doesn't mean a lot because basically this is film is just a very long sitcom episode that offers nothing we've haven't seen before. This story tries to blame Tom and Kate for their children being miserable and, if the truth be told, what we have here is a bunch of children that have been spoiled rotten and pretty much ignore anything their parents tell them.
Director Shawn Levy (Date Night) puts a lot of work in presenting a lot of silly slapstick situations for the Baker children, but it all has a familiar air of "been there done that" about it. We get a lot of physical destruction of the new house, including a running gag with a chandelier. We also get a lot of children vomiting and running upstairs without cleaning it up. My mother would have beat me silly if I ever threw up on the kitchen floor and walked away. And don't get me started on the younger kids going to a birthday party they've already been told they can't attend with a snake as a present.
Steve Martin is so subdued in the starring role that he is barely recognizable in a role that plays to none of his strengths, but Bonnie Hunt is a charmer as Kate (whatever happened to her?). Oldest son Charlie is blandly played by Tom Welling, who went on to play Clark Kent on Smallville. Paula Marshall and Alan Ruck are fun as the Baker's neighbors and Wayne Knight is fun as the chandelier repairman. Ashton Kutcher steals every scene he's in as Nora's boyfriend. Fans of Desperate Housewives might also recognize Shane and Brent Kinsman, who played Porter and Preston Scavo on that show. as twins Nigel and Kyle here, but this movie is really a snooze fest that actually inspired a sequel.