 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Cheaper by the Dozen 2
- Review Date: May 22, 2006
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 2005
Common Sense Media says
Brain-numbing sequel to a bad 2003 movie. Beware.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the movie includes slapsticky roughhousing and stupid antics, including a clambake disrupted by fireworks and a tennis game disrupted by two young boys careening in a golf cart. Women (especially Carmen Electra) wear tight tops, with several shots focused on cleavage. There is homophobic humor and mild profanity. Parents aren't portrayed in the best light; fathers engage in obnoxious, childish competition.
What's the story?
It's summertime and Tom (Steve Martin) and his large brood head to the lake, where the college football coach engages in male competition with annoying childhood rival Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy). Self-conscious nerd Jimmy lords it over Tom that he's rich and married to trophy wife number three, Sarina (Carmen Electra). Tom soon turns as overbearing as Jimmy, ignoring longsuffering wife Kate (Bonnie Hunt) when she begs him not to set his kids to compete against Jimmy's brood. When they're not pressing their kids to compete against each other in various activities, the two dads hide out in the movie theater balcony, spying on a few of the kids involved in budding romances.
Is it any good?
Adam Shankman's sequel is unevenly paced and uninspired. Whereas dad Tom was sweet and bungling in the first film, here he's just manic and inept. While the dads arrange for any number of impromptu challenges, the children are relegated to providing reaction shots, even as they try to distance themselves from their fathers' shenanigans.
In one particularly ridiculous scene, Tom shows Jimmy the move where you yawn-n-stretch to put your arm around your date. They're mistaken for a gay couple by phobic fellow theatergoers ("Disgusting!"), leading to yet another spastic-dad joke. Dangling from the balcony during the ensuing mini-melee, Tom horrifies Sarah and demonstrates once again that he's a sensationally incompetent parent. It's no wonder that his kids are all outgrowing him.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the exaggerated competitiveness between the two fathers. How do the dads lose sight of their kids' interests? How do their wives and children see getting along as more fun than winning contests? How does the movie celebrate individuality in contrast to conformity?
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AGE
Not my choice for a kids' movie.
I agree with everyone who says it's good at some parts and bad at others. There are some funny jokes, a cute scene at the end when the family welcomes Nora's baby, and a nice love story between Charlie and Ann (Eliot and Sarah's "relationship" is just ridiculous.) But for most of the movie it's just obnoxious. The dads' antics get old really fast. Also not so great of messages. The Bakers obviously envy the Murtaughs' fancy house (and the Murtaughs are all too happy to show it off.) Lots of cleavage and bikini shots. A young woman gets a tattoo without her parents' knowledge. And a girl is desperate to impress a boy and changes her whole appearance and even steals "for" him. A rolling wheelchair is played for laughs, lots of publicity for Allure magazine, a gay joke, lots of snobbery and childish competition. Not my choice for a kids' movie.
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AGE
Fun for the whole family!
My kids, age 11 & 6, enjoyed the first movie and were very excited for the sequel. We had a wonderful time. There is a good amount of silliness and they laughed and laughed, some tenderness, and a meaningful ending. All in all, a great family movie!
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AGE
Pretty cute, but bad message.
This movie could have been cute and funny, if it didn't have such a bad message. The wives are weak and submissive towards their husbands until the end. An elderly man in a wheelchair is constantly rolling away and getting hurt and it's supposed to be funny. Kids steal, vandalize and scheme against each other. The worst part is when the one character steals makeup and her mom says, "I know why you stole the makeup. It was for Eliot, right?" The girl just nods miserably at the totally sexist idea that women should wear makeup for somebody other than themselves.
Otherwise there's not much parents can worry about if they really want to see this movie. There's pregnancy (but it's within a married couple), jokes about hormones (with pregnant women and teenage boys,) women in suggestive clothes, and a cut-off explanation of what conception means. It could have been cute, but women, parents, and teenagers aren't portrayed very well.
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AGE
good, great, BRILLIANT!
Great movie. As great as 1#. There is some weird parts, but it still is great. 9+!
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Kid, 12 years old
July 22, 2010
AGE
Good movie and funny too plus it's competitive when Tom and Jimmy are trying to win the competition.
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AGE
I don't really remember this movie....
It's okay... but really it doesn't deserve all the bad comments from CSM. It's a good movie--don't get me wrong, but I saw it such a long time ago and I don't really remember it, let alone want to watch it again. To conclude, SEE this movie once with your family. Enjoy!
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AGE
Lovin It!!
i loved this movie!!! it is sooooo funny!!!! i totally recemend it!!
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| Topics: | book characters, brothers and sisters |
| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Adam Shankman |
| Cast: | Bonnie Hunt, Steve Martin, Tom Welling |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 110 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 21, 2005 |
| DVD release date: | May 23, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some crude humor and mild language. |
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