Rating: 
Summary: Zero to Hero to Zero; and the circle is complete.
Review: Poor Steve Martin.How awful it must be to know that you were once a power in Hollywood, a comedic actor par excellence, with timing, talent and reputation, and now you're little more than a character actor, flying ever-faster towards the Chevy Chase Bargain Bin of Has-Beens. Steve Martin (shudder) and Bonnie Hunt (who really ought to be in more pictures, she's typecast now but is decent nonetheless) star here as a pair of overly-affectionate parents who, after having a family of twelve, decide to boost their careers and bank balances by accepting job promotions and PR work, resulting in the upheaval of their family and the subsequent re-examination of those family values. Along the way there are several intended-to-be-humorous set pieces and a whole host of cathartic morals to be enjoyed. The problem with this sort of movie is that families just ain't the way they used to be. Long-gone are the days when Mom stayed at home with the kids and Dad went out a-hunting for his salary, and 'family' movies need to reflect this trend if they're going to be successful. Sadly this is not the case with 'Cheaper By The Dozen' and the picture suffers from a severe case of 'Old-Fashionedness' - but not in an endearing or humourous way. Quite the opposite, in fact - the gross sexism and heavy-handed morals of the Baker clan will have many switching off in testy semi-outrage long before the film is complete. Performance-wise there's not much here to keep one watching, either - save for a truly atrocious Ashton Kutcher cameo that really forces home the point that the Kid really does have no talent whatsoever. And Martin's tried-and-trusted Harangued Father schtick really should have been left in the Eighties, where it belongs. The Kids themselves are little more than a rowdy ensemble of mismatched stereotypes, with neither development nor reason for their apparent 'personalities'. Not even recommended for lazy Sunday afternoon viewing, check out Martin classics like 'Parenthood' and 'The Man With Two Brains' for examples of his once-deserved fame, or family gems like 'Finding Nemo' and 'Shrek' if it's something you'd like to watch with the Kids.
Rating:
Summary: --Bad Script--
Review:
Rating:
Summary: Awful and unfunny
Review: After watching movies like Cheaper by the dozen, I not only question my taste in movies, but also my sense of belonging to my group of friends. Everyone we knew had seen it, and they all had loved it. Expressions like"go see it, it's hilarious" or "it's SO funny!" were usually uttered by our friends. For some reason we had managed to miss this film altogether, having something happen everytime we intended to see it. We even had tickets for a premiere of the film, but we managed to miss that too. To add to the list, the movie made more money than The Matrix Revolutions (which wasn't that good a movie either, but, come on!). Of course, after all these thing really helped create high expectations for this film... I went in with a little bit of apprehension, because Martin's previous film was the atrocious Bringing down the house (with Queen Latifah) and the trailer didn't really help. Unfortunately, my fears were proven right. The film was really, REALLY bad. How can a film so highly recommended and with such high grosses ($138MM in the U.S. and Canada alone) be this bad? Even more disturbing, how can a film so awful be so successful? Beats me. A remake of sorts of the 1950 film starring Myrna Loy and Clifton Webb, Cheaper by the dozen narrates the supposedly funny misadventures of two parents of twelve kids who move from their little town into Chicago once the father (Martin) gets his dream job as head coach of his alma mater's football team. Of course, the kids are not happy with leaving their home, and to make matters worse, once they're in the big city, the father is swamped with work and the mother (Hunt) has her book (about raising a dozen kids, no less) published and is forced to go on a publicity tour. Who will take care of the kids? How can two working parents handle twelve children without help? Wackiness is supposed to ensue, but in all honesty, I found very little of it to be funny. Martin's performance is one of his worse (not that his that much of an actor to begin with), Hunt has very little to do, except miss her kids while she's away. But that's not the bad part of the movie, both actors are good enough for the material they're given. The real negative was the writing and the casting of the kids. These characters should be the hook to make a connection with the audience, instead, they're the reason that that connection isn't made. The kids are obnoxious brats who turn out to be mean and spoiled and don't care that much for their hard working parents. They didn't agree with moving, they didn't like their new school, they don't help around the house, they don't support their dad's new job, they basically destroy the house they live in, they're mean to each other. You get the picture. As for the kids playing the 'dirty dozen', there's Coyote Ugly alumni Piper Perabo as the eldest daughter, who shows for all of five minutes and has nothing really to do, Smalville's Tom Welling as the oldest son, whose constantly irritated (and irritating) at his father (he has a girlfriend back home, see, with whom he is in love and his mean parents made him move away from her, see) - this little 'drama' goes nowhere in the film. There's also teen, er, sensation Hilary Duff as a fashion obsessed young lady who needs to use the bathroom three minutes longer than the rest of the family because she needs to put on her make-up. The rest of the kids are played by unknowns or mostly unknowns. There's the tomboy, there's the geeky one that the rest step all over of, there's the fat 'witty' one, there's the opinionated twin girls and the infant cute twin boys. I'm missing a couple of kids, I'm sure, but that goes to show you how irrelevant their personalities were. Obviously, at the end all the kids show their love and support for their dad because, you know, all the bratty attitudes and temper tantrums really mean nothing. We destroy you house and your life because we love you, mom and dad. The only bright spot of the film comes from an uncredited appearance by That 70's show's Ashton Kutchner, who steals the show (for however few minutes he has) as Perabo's actor boyfriend. His scenes at the table with the rest of the family and the attack by the family's dog are quite funny. Unfortunately, he has very few scenes in the film. As for the writing...Joel Cohen wrote Toy story, so that should mean there's some quality here, right? Wrong! He also wrote Garfield: The movie (also known as Garfield: The train wreck) and the upcoming Eddie Murphy family sequel Daddy day camp which he co-wrote with Sokolow. I don't know what happened with this film. Is is really that bad? Am I being too harsh? Is the rest of the world wrong or should I go get my head checked? I don't know the answers to these questions, all I know is that I thought Cheaper by the dozen to be an awful film and a waste of my money. Why Steve Martin, why? ---- After finishing my review and re-reading it, I think I come out as a Steve Martin hater, which is not the case. To put things in perspective, I own both Dead men don't wear plaid and The man with two brains on DVD. I love Roxanne to death. The jerk is truly a gem of American comedy. His stints as guest host on SNL rank with the best of them. I used to be able to quote The three amigos almos verbatim. I think My blue heaven to be an underrated and misunderstood little film. But still...why Steve Martin, why? First Bringing down the house, then this and next a remake of The pink panther? Why do you hate us?
Rating: 
Summary: Some laughs, some morals, but not excellent
Review: Steve Martin is a funny guy, so I was instantly drawn to this movie. I have never read the book, so I have no idea how accurate the movie is. I have also not seen the 1950 movie (this is a remake- Disney has been making a lot of remakes lately, modernizing every movie.) There are cell phones, new cars, etc., so it is definitely modernized. The movie has some laughs and actually has a pretty good moral- you should put family before work no matter what. It's a good movie, but I would rent it instead of buying it because it's one of those movies that you only want to watch once or twice.
Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable movie
Review: I went into this film not knowing quite what to expect...would it just be mainly a vehicle to even more Hilary Duff publicity? What kind of family film would it be? As it turned out, I enjoyed "Cheaper by the Dozen" very much and found it to be very fun and upbeat. It's one of those movies where you feel almost exhausted during and after because of the chaos of a 14-person family that most of us can only imagine...but it is all in good fun, and the film is one that can generally target large families, the young at heart, and those who just want something simple, lively, and innocent to cheer them up. I really respect director Sean Levy's approach to the casting; Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt are classic veterans who really know how to play the role of loving parent to a T, and getting a few familiar faces for the parts of the three oldest children (Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Tom Welling) helped attract interest. The younger children were very well casted and though most of them had no prior experience, it contributed to their ability to act like real children and keep the movie at its desired level of entertainment and realism regarding a large, chaotic family. I personally favored the performances of Liliana Mumy, the redhaired twin Jessica (whom you may remember from her debut role in the Santa Clause 2) and Alyson Stoner as smart-alecky Sarah, who has some of the best lines and the most natural on-screen expression. Both are very, very talented young kids, and I look forward to seeing more from them in the future. All in all, "Cheaper by the Dozen" is just a lighthearted, enjoyable flick that does not seek to convey anything but entertainment. One might wonder why the older kids do not help out more or why the children seem to be controlling their parents at times, but the overall tone points to the general likability of the Baker clan and that basic essence of fun that makes the entire movie for those who are looking for that type of genre. There are also some sentimental parts that stress the idea of family unity and just might make you well up a bit! =) The DVD, too, is very good, with some enjoyable deleted scenes and two commentaries from Sean Levy and some of the Baker kids. The one with the kids is really very entertaining, as they sound exactly like normal kids their age: giggly, high personality, and constantly interrupting each other so they can each get their word in. I agree with another reviewer that it does wear a bit thin after a while, but it's something funny and enjoyable to listen to from time to time. It's also interesting to hear the viewpoints on these young actors, because Heaven knows kids are honest!! =) Overall, then, this movie is what it is: clean, funny, and a genuine member of the "family film" category. If nothing else, it can lift your spirits and be a nice "escape" with characters you can appreciate and relate to; a storyline that works; and an ending concoction that kids and adults alike can take interest in.
Rating:
Summary: I was pretty suprized.
Review: I am 19 years old and the oldest of 6 children (I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters). Now normally before i watch a movie i try to get people's opinions. I know it sounds somewhat weird, but i do. I dont feel like wasting my (or other people's) money. well with this movie, my parents said it was good and my youger sister said it was stupid. so i was pretty confused. So i went out and rented it myself. Personally i liked it. I have to agreee with an earlier review it did leave the kid's school plots hanging. And i cried during this movie. See during my senior year my dad moved us away from our home of 12 years to where i currently live. and we all had a hard time adjusting. So this movie touched me on a different level. I thought it was a sweet and charming movie! *^-^*
Rating: 
Summary: If it ain't broke...
Review: don't remake it. This is the latest in a long line of really pathetic attempts to modernize some very good film classics. As in the destruction of the "Father of the Bride" movies, this one is inane and completely misses the point and the humor of the original. I really wish Steve Martin would go back to walking around with an arrow through his head. He was much funnier then.
Rating:
Summary: Just good fun!
Review: If you're looking for a good, clean family movie, this one ought to do the trick. It's the story of a football coach and his wife, an aspiring author, who have produced 12 children. The family is depicted as a loving unit, albeit noisy and busy, until Mom sells her book and goes on tour. Dad, played by Steve Martin, has recently started a new job as a football coach at a major university and vows that he can handle that plus the child-care duties. Of course he is wrong and chaos reigns as Mom goes around the country, appearing on talk shows and missing her kids. The kids are cute and spontaneous and each one has his own unique personality. Family values rule the day and make this a good movie for all ages to view.
Rating:
Summary: CHEAPER BUY THE DOZEN
Review: hey amazon.com reviewers im here to tell you about the cute and
hilarious 1* comedy in america! with the stars bringin down the
house [steve martin]!the football kid[tom weeling]as 2nd born charlie! [piper perabo]! as 1rst born nora! the huge star
[hilary duff]! 4rth born henery! [alyson] as fith born from
mikes super short shows sally! [jacob smith]as 6th born
from hansel andgreatel!mark as 7th born! [laine mummy] as 8th
born her ferternaltwin [morgan york]! mike as 10th born
[kyle and shane kidman]asthe terror identical twins! see you next time at amazon.com!
Rating: 
Summary: LITTLE JEWEL COMES OUT OF UNPROMISING CIRCUMSTANCES
Review: I didn't want to see this film. I was dragged kicking and screaming into our living room as my wife slipped Cheaper But The Dozen into the DVD player. I was pleasantly surprised. Steve Martin has been known for being in some stinkers in the past. Bonnie Hunt is a comic actress I think is vastly overrated. How is it two comics continually appear in films that aren't funny? And another remake? "Please, God, help me!!!" Well, this time it works. Maybe it helps to have 12 kids around. (...) Whatever, this movie flows with sight gags and joke jokes along with the real pains most have experienced when picking up a household and moving to a new town. My only complaint is that we see the children meeting real difficulties in school and then that part of the storyline is just dropped. But overall this is a good goofy movie that even grownups can enjoy.
| 
