At this point, it's safe to wonder whether there will ever be a family comedy that doesn't show a father getting smacked in the face with flying kitchen debris or in the groin with, well, anything pain-inducing. The omission of those trite sight gags would be a novel idea indeed, but the sequel to
Are We There Yet? isn't original enough to survive without such familiar scenes. That said, it
is much better (and cleaner) than the original.
McGinley steals the show with Chuck's goofy-but-wise antics and exhaustive résumé (he's an expert in Capoiera, a former L.A. Laker, and a championship power-walker). Meanwhile, Long -- a lovely and talented actress -- seems decorative by comparison, which is a shame, since she's got great comic timing. Despite the all-too-familiar nature of its home-improvement jokes and teenage-daughter dilemmas, some families might get a belly laugh or two out of this formulaic film. Just don't expect a trilogy.