Alexander and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

There are movies that cause reviews to be polarizing; either you love it, or you hate it.  Usually this occurs in separate individuals where one person will have the opposite opinion of the other. I find this polarization happening within my own brain.  Alexander's Day (as I will refer to the film from now on) has me conflicted.

As someone who likes to get past conflict, I will voice both of my opinions of this film.  I can't justify keeping one of them silent.

The first review is positive, the second is not.

Review #1

Are you looking for a fun family film that you can laugh at and enjoy with all the family?  Do you want to feel like your life is not as bad as the life of someone else?  I suggest you turn you movie-viewing eyes over to the Disney release Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  I really enjoyed this film.  It is full of one-liners, likable characters and of course, oddball individuals that make you want to rewind the film and watch it again.

The movie is based on the book of the same title that I enjoyed reading in my elementary school days.   Whenever a movie is made based on a children's book, I am always curious to see how the film will expand from a 15 minute book to a 90 minute film. (full disclosure, this film is 81 mins long)

I really enjoyed the characters of Alexander's family.  His father (Steve Carell) is funny while falling apart and struggling as a stay-at-home dad.  I feel for him and I appreciate his methods to survival with children.  I found him to be charming, as always. (except in The Way Way Back)

Jennifer Garner's character is likable and believable as a well-to-do mom that is breaking into the corporate world of children's literature.  The kids, other than Alexander are a mixture of stereotypes that are used in almost every family movie, but that is because they are accurate.  The siblings in this film are like regular siblings.  They fight, they yell, they tattle, and then they hug at the end of it all.  No so far from the real thing.

All in all I enjoyed this wholesome film and it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon with my family.  Our oldest son has referenced it a number of times in his daily conversations, so it must have made a great impression.

Review #2

How long will it take for the world to just stop making movies where everything goes wrong?  We all saw Meet The Parents, and some people brave the viewing of the sequels.  Now you might say, "come on, Tyler.  That is one movie.  You can't say that this is an over-used plot device over one other movie!"  On the contrary, please consider this list:

RV

Fun with Dick & Jane

Any any of the Vacation movies

Any Steve Martin comedy

Any Judd Apatow "comedy"

Any family movie starring Ice Cube, Martin Lawrence, or Eddie Murphy

In fact there are so many of this type of movie that I found a part of a web site listing them off.  Find it here.

I understand that there were few options for a different plot when the film's title contains adjectives describing the type of day that will be had, but it could have been something different.  I am starting to get tired of it.

I found this film exhausting due to the predictable story, one-dimensional characters, and lame....

Wait a minute.

I can't do this anymore.

***

Re-do

Let's face it.  I enjoyed this film.  It has a lot of predictable plot holes and some unrealistic situations, but there were some moments that charmed this movie into my brain.

Some moments that brought the charm:

• I enjoyed the older brother's response to missing his junior prom, ("it's only the junior prom.").  He left his jerk of a girlfriend.  Awesome!!
• The sister's drunken rendition of Peter Pan.  Hilarious!
• Donald Glover's appearance as part of a group developing a video game.  I know a number of people like him and the scenes turned out just as they would in real life.
• The condition of the van after the driving test.  It just made me smile.
• Jennifer Coolidge being a partially normal character.  A rare treat! 

I have a soft spot for silly family films.  They are what we watch as a family because I don't have to worry about my sons being scarred for life due to violence or explicit material. I'll have a couple other reviews like this because I have a number of films that are truly awful, but I will watch them over and over again against my good judgment.  Stay tuned for those beauties!

I categorize this film as:

Ridiculous

Fun

Family friendly.
 

2.5/5 Stanley Cups

Format: Netflix 

Viewing Period:  2 separate periods.  The periods were a couple weeks apart.  Our older son didn't want to finish the movie.  He eventually warmed up to it. 

Inspired me to: Appreciate the simplicity of my life.  Watch more Steve Carell on The Office.