There are some things about "Cheaper by the Dozen" that are fairly enjoyable. It's a nice enough story that may move some people. I can't claim that I was one of them, but I think my mom found the story to be sweet and touching. The grown-up actors did a fairly nice job also. There's something about Bonnie Hunt that you just can't help but like her. She seems like a nice, down-to-earth person, and she fit into this role very well. Also this movie showcased some rising stars like Tom Welling, Hilary Duff, and Piper Perabo (my personal favorite).
However, there seems to be something manipulative about this movie. Speaking of the rising stars, they only appear in the movie sporadically. I got the sense that they only showed up to work on this movie for just a few days and that the filmmakers found a way to fit them in just to put them on the movie poster.
This movie is mostly about Steve Martin and a bunch of little kids. I thought Mr. Martin did all right in this movie, and I respect him for the very impressive career he has built, but his role in this movie didn't really stand out to me. Years from now, people are going to remember his groundbreaking stand-up career, his stints on "Saturday Night Live," and for movies like "The Jerk" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," but I don't think many will look at "Cheaper by the Dozen" as a prime example of his comedic genius.
As for the story, it's pretty predictable. I saw what lesson this movie was trying to teach us from far away. The kids, for the most part, just seemed bratty and annoying. Then again, maybe their acting was effective, because after the movie, I felt exhausted and happy that I am just an uncle right now.
My IMDb Rating: 6/10. My Yahoo! Grade: B- (Fair)
However, there seems to be something manipulative about this movie. Speaking of the rising stars, they only appear in the movie sporadically. I got the sense that they only showed up to work on this movie for just a few days and that the filmmakers found a way to fit them in just to put them on the movie poster.
This movie is mostly about Steve Martin and a bunch of little kids. I thought Mr. Martin did all right in this movie, and I respect him for the very impressive career he has built, but his role in this movie didn't really stand out to me. Years from now, people are going to remember his groundbreaking stand-up career, his stints on "Saturday Night Live," and for movies like "The Jerk" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," but I don't think many will look at "Cheaper by the Dozen" as a prime example of his comedic genius.
As for the story, it's pretty predictable. I saw what lesson this movie was trying to teach us from far away. The kids, for the most part, just seemed bratty and annoying. Then again, maybe their acting was effective, because after the movie, I felt exhausted and happy that I am just an uncle right now.
My IMDb Rating: 6/10. My Yahoo! Grade: B- (Fair)