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| Director
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Adam Shankman
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| Starring
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Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt,
Hilary Duff |
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| The plot of
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 |
While on vacation at Lake Winnetaka, The Baker
family encounters The Murtaughs, and what should
be a peaceful retreat for the two families turns
into fierce competition for supremacy on the water. |
Cheaper
by the Dozen 2 Review
|
Review by Justin
Chang:
A family sitcomsitcom
writ very large, "Cheaper by the Dozen 2"
sends the Bakers of Midland, Ill., on summer vacation,
along with enough life lessons and cutely precocious
kiddie dialogue to furnish an entire season of "Full
House." Bland, canned but studiously professional
sequel retains most of the principals from Fox's family-friendly
2003 hit, including the ever-reliable Steve MartinSteve
Martin and Bonnie HuntBonnie Hunt. Auds who contributed
to the first "Cheaper's" $138 million domestic
take should return for a second round, with homevid
returns likely to eclipse any theatrical shortfall.Despite
the fact that he and wife Kate (Hunt) have 12 children,
about nine of whom have yet to hit puberty, former football
coach Tom Baker (Martin) is suffering from empty-nest
syndrome. Oldest daughter Nora (Piper PeraboPiper Perabo)
is about to have a baby and move to Texas with husband
Bud (Jonathan Bennett, filling in for Ashton KutcherAshton
Kutcher), while fashion-savvy Lorraine (Hilary DuffHilary
Duff) is headed to New York for an internship.The solution:
one last family trip up to beautiful Lake Winnetka,
Wis. But to Tom's dismay, he discovers soon after their
arrival that most of the lakefront property is now owned
by his childhood nemesis, the filthy-rich Jimmy Murtaugh
(Eugene Levy), who has eight kids of his own as well
as a dishy new wife, Sarina (Carmen Electra)..more..
Review By Louise
Keller:
A sequel doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad film. But
there are not many redeeming qualities about this one.
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 is simply a case of plastic characters
jumbled together with a contrived script, shoved in
a Hollywood comedy oven with the timer bell ignored.
Resulting attempts at slapstick comedy and goofy humour
fall pretty flat and there is a limit to how many situations
you can pit Steve Martin's Tom Baker against Eugene
Levy's manically competitive neighbour. As I recall,
the original film was amusing enough, with many of its
crazy situations and characters grounded in reality.
This time around, with a new director (Adam Shankman)
and new writers, it's all played for laughs, apart from
the final 20 minutes when sentiments about the strength
of family is realised and there's a trickle of genuine
warmth. But it's not enough.All the cast does what is
expected of them, and the kids are all terrific. It
was no doubt a money-spinner for Martin, who hams it
up throughout with a somewhat embarrassed grimace of
a smile. Levy comes out best, playing his thrice married
father of eight dead straight, and I must admit, I was
fascinated by his bouffant hair. When the Baker and
the Muraugh families find themselves side by side at
their Lake Winnetka holiday haunt, the one upmanship
between the two fathers is inevitable. The saving grace
comes in the form of the kids, whose friendship with
each, sets a new tone. The set up is fun (but the execution
is not) when Tom's daughter goes on her first date with
Jimmy's son, and both fathers sneak into the local cinema
to secretly keep their eyes on them..More..
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