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Such a frustrating disappointment

Simply A Masterpiece

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

There is an annoying basic quality to Cheaper by the Dozen 2; one that prevents even the slightest bit of subtlety and low-key drama to occur. The film is a sequel to the 2003 remake of the 1950's film, and explaining this kind of convolution takes more than this film deserves.We reacquaint with the Baker clan, lead by the patriarch Tom (Steve Martin) and his wife Kate (Bonnie Hunt) as they still try and raise their twelve children, all of whom are beginning to mature in some way. Dating, the quest for individuality, and personal freedom all become things the Baker children want but are at odds with their domineering father, who stands in their way of achieving them.Noticing the family is divided and uninterested in the things they once were, Tom effortlessly sets up a vacation at the family's lake house in Lake Winnetka, which will serve as their last vacation for quite sometime seeing as how Nora Baker (Piper Perabo) is due for a baby any day now and will certainly be preoccupied. Their plan for a quiet get-together is unfortunately interrupted by the likes of Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy), Tom's old rival from yesteryear and his clan of children as well.Things will of course take the competitive route as Tom challenges Jimmy to a family battle for the annual Labor Day family cup, where both families will compete in a series of perfunctory challenges in order to be crowned the Lake Winnetka's fortieth winner of the cup.The film is a cheap, consistently unfunny drudge through the "maximum antics, minimum laughter" sector of comedy, where situational, sitcom humor and physical gags take the place of actual verbal wit. One could hope for some geniality and warmness in the script, but after hearing the plot, where is the warmth in watching two overbearing fathers use their children as military-men in a competition at a lake house and completely disregard their children's own personal feelings? In a film where one of the morals seems to be an active pursuit of adulthood and maturity there are sure a lot of people acting like prepubescent adolescents here.One would optimistically assume that the presence of Eugene Levy will level things out to a moderately acceptable level, but even Levy drastically underplays his role as an overbearing family-man. If one is even vaguely acquainted with Levy's career as an actor, they know he could've played this role way over the top, to unforeseeable comedic heights, emphasizing all his character's own personal flaws while making us laugh at him at the same time.Instead, Levy shrinks to the level of conventionality and interchangeability here, which is something I never thought I'd say about a unique actor, both in appearance and in acting craft. Put alongside Steve Martin, another actor of impeccable deadpanning craft and charm, both men seem to have all the life sucked out of them and only enough to call for a bottom-barrel film where the presence of a laugh seems to be next to non-existent.When Cheaper by the Dozen 2 isn't focusing on tired physical gags or nauseating sex puns, it holds a strong focus on its character Alyson Stoner of the Baker family, who develops a crush on Taylor Lautner's character of the Murtaugh family. She seeks lessons from her older sister Lorraine (Hillary Duff) in a scene that would've worked beautiful had the film had more time to develop it. There's a serious thesis about growing up, dating, and maturing in Cheaper By the Dozen 2, but too bad it's hampered by elements that do nothing but cheapen potentially ripe material.Starring: Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Eugene Levy, Hillary Duff, Piper Perabo, Alyson Stoner, Tom Welling, Carmen Electra, Jaime King, and Taylor Lautner. Directed by: Adam Shankman.

There are some good moments in this comedy sequel, but overall I found it limp and overly-predictable. Steve Martin and Eugene Levy do well as the two dads Tom and Jimmy, in fact the entire cast do well, even Carmen Electra who I can't stand. There is some nice scenery and music, and there are one or two funny parts, like the scene in the cinema and the line about the sweater. But as a sequel to an acceptable first film, it didn't score well with me. I will say it wasn't absolutely dire like I feared, but it is badly flawed. I actually found the gag reels funnier than the overall movie. The story is very predictable, and the jokes are either hits or misses, mostly misses sadly. Another problem was the very weak and clichéd script, not to mention the sluggish direction. Overall, not terrible, but it could have been better with a stronger script and less predictable story. 4/10 Bethany Cox

I had fun with the original Cheaper by the dozen. Now here is Cheaper by the dozen 2, film that I had even more fun with. But I gave it the same rating. That is because this film is a tad silly. Like the last one. Cheaper by the dozen 2 doesn't have Ashton Kutcher which is one flaw. But other than that, I enjoyed Cheaper by the dozen 2. You will probably disagree with me, but I liked it more than the first one. Cheaper by the dozen 2 introduces some new characters, like Eugene Levy's character, who was Steve Martin's character's old rival. Also, the film introduces a way younger version of Taylor Lautner from that gay film Twilight. I had a good time with Cheaper by the dozen 2 and I give it, not a big thumbs up, but a thumbs up.Cheaper by the dozen 2:***/****

My Take: Trite, predictable family diversion. After having dismissing it as a simple-minded family picture for many times, I gave CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, a very loose adaptation of a novel by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, a try and it turned out to be a surprise delight. It wasn't perfect, maybe not even formula, but I was delighted by it. It was a lot of fun and it never seemed to run our of energy, especially for the always funny Steve Martin. Martin is back in this sequel, and so is much of the same cast, Bonnie Hunt in particular. Joining the original cast is a new set of players including American PIE regular Eugene Levy, parody-movie regular Carmen Electra and another batch of kids and teens. This is CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2, and if I was wrong about the first film, I was more wrong to think this one will be better.In this sequel, the family that couldn't get along leaves all their indifference behind a long time ago. Now their one big, happy family. While going on a camping vacation (as usual, they have to live inside a rotten, old cabin), they get into some competition with dad Tom Baker's (Martin) old rival Jimmy Murtaugh (Levy) and his family, composed of sexy wife Sarina (Electra) and eight children. See Murtaugh is athletic and daring while Tom only wishes that his kids (jealous as always) would have a better vacation. So on goes a series of challenges and competitions they go through, fighting for who gets the better summer this year.Unfortunately, it might have not been the audience. Having missed it on the big screen, I caught CHEAPER 2 on TV and, since I wasn't really anticipating anything (a sequel to CHEAPER is nothing big to get excited about). That probably helps to be able to enjoy a movie like this. But while lowering your expectations might help at being kind to your response to it, that doesn't necessarily mean liking it. Martin and Levy (funny men, by the way) are at their best efforts, as Hunt playing responsible mother Kate, but they can't shine in a script than limits what they can do. Kids, as usual, will drag you to the video store to rent or buy it, and maybe you should. But don't be surprised if you won't like it. It really isn't made for you.Rating: ** out of 5.