Disney’s latest family comedy has great performances, a funny storyline and a strong message!
The film follows the exploits of 11-year-old Alexander as he experiences the most terrible and horrible day of his young life - a day that begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by one calamity after another. But when Alexander tells his upbeat family about the misadventures of his disastrous day, he finds little sympathy and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him. He soon learns he is not alone when his mum, dad, brother and sister all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
I often find that films billed as “family comedies” are never really funny and use unnecessary crass humour, but this film was genuinely funny! It never used “cringe humour” and while some jokes were slightly predictable you still couldn’t help but laugh out loud!
Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner were superb as Alex’s parents; both didn’t overplay the humour, which made everything funnier! Ed Oxenbould played Alex and he didn’t seem to bring the energy that the role needed. Also on some occasions his mumbling made him harder to understand. Dylan Minette and Kerris Dorsey played Alex’s siblings; who both played their roles well, but didn’t have the same comic timing that the adults possessed. The best piece of casting in this film was Dick Van Dyke who had a cameo as himself in the film, that I won’t spoil, but he is brilliant!
Overall, this film is genuinely funny and the casting is strong, this certainly is a comedy that the whole family will love!
3.5 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Walt Disney Entertainment
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