Are We There Yet?

First, you can take your kids to see this movie and you and they will laugh. The fun is mostly for kids but there are laughs for adults too. Make no mistake, we are not in Academy Award territory here.

The film's idea is so good that it makes up for many weaknesses in execution. It's a kid road trip - two kids with a guy who is not their Dad. But something doesn't work here and I suspect in part that it is the two child actors; they can't act. But something else seems wrong too. Is it the writers? The film starts with a guy's seduction by a cool chick's cleavage - then it's repeated.

As we drove home, I got the message that Ice Cube is a cool guy, the scene on the horse is funny but, "When are we getting home and what are we eating for dinner?" If your kids want to see this movie, then go. If not, you've missed nothing. But in the same breath, the movie's idea is good. So if you go, and as you watch, you can laugh and wonder why this is a good idea for a kid movie that just doesn't work.

This may not be an Academy Award winning movie, but it was entertaining the whole way through. It was light hearted, funny (with some slap-stick and occasional rude humor) and moving at times. I thought it was cleaver how Nick's conscience was portrayed through a Satchel Paige bobble-head. This movie appealed to all ages. There were some surprise guest appearances, namely Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura from Star Trek) and Tracy Morgan as the voice of Satchel Paige. This movie was similar in style to Christmas With The Kranks only this one was actually funny and you care about the characters. If you are looking to be entertained and fun for the whole family ...then this movie is for you.

Yes, I hated this movie. But what can I say in my defense? It's a family film! Its core audience is the 5- 12 crowd, and let's face facts: kids will laugh at anything! That's exactly why I've never been a big fan of family films. I'm always bound to experience the predictable quotient of gags that involve vomit, farts and kicks in the groin - all of which are in this movie. Helen Keller can see the punchlines coming a mile away. Ice Cube seems thoroughly embarrassed to be a part of this movie. I'm sure he took on the project to hopefully broaden his demographic (never having done a PG film before). The kids, like most actors their age, constantly overact. Their nonstop bickering makes you feel Ice Cube's pain of having to escort them. Cube ends up getting into every implausible disaster you can possibly imagine. It would help if the gags had even a shred of credibility. Not to mention, every time something embarrassing and disastrous happens to Cube's character, the kids laugh like hyenas, making the gags mean-spirited as well as unfunny. The only moment I remember laughing is when the kids try to drive off in Cube's minivan. He chases after them and tries to climb inside through the sunroof. The kids crash into a giant statue of a lumberjack, holding an axe. The axe then falls down and nails Cube right in his groin. Another predictable gag, but after long periods of not laughing, I had to relieve myself in some fashion. And like in all these movies, there's a schmaltzy conclusion that's supposed to deliver a "message." When I left the theater, I saw this one mother who was so fed up with her bratty son that she picked him up and spanked him, yelling out obscenities. Obviously, this message of accepting kids for who they are, no matter how bratty they get, didn't sink through her head. So why do these films even bother? When you have a movie as detached from reality as "Are We There Yet?" it's hard to deliver a message to its audience that will linger with them.

What is up with the low ratings? This movie had us laughing all the way through it! Clean, somewhat predictable but in a fresh way. These kids did great in the movie; we enjoyed it a lot! Could easily lend itself to a sequel and another "road trip" kind of scenario. I see it as engaging and charming as "Home Alone" was so many years ago. I did think the mother's reaction at the end was a little extreme and that could have gone differently, but I didn't expect an Oscar-winning storyline with this fun, punchy, movie. I guess if there had been more swearing, sex, and violence it would have caught on better; seems to be where our culture likes to go these days. I say kudos to the writers and actors...you done good with this one and guess what...we're going to watch it again today!

I've been made fun of for enjoying Are We There Yet which is unfortunate! Despite the flaws this movie has it warms my heart. Ice Cube is great through out and so are the kids. Not for everyone but I love this movie the way it is! Adventure stories are great to me even the unorthodox ones at least occasionally.