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

Alexander‘s (Ed Oxenbould) day starts off lousy when he gets gum stuck in his hair. From there things go down hill but his family shows absolutely no sympathy for the youngster’s plight. When their own luck goes just as bad, they become one with “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”

Laura's Review: C+

"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" is a cute enough family film about empathy, but it's based in a Disney reality where parents never snap. The film's plot is rigged so that every member of the family can face disaster on the same day, no matter that a school system would be very unlikely to schedule an important class play on the same night as the prom. Has its moments and young Ed Oxenbould holds the center as the unfortunate Alexander. Grade:

Robin's Review: B-

This is a goofy, fun and farfetched little family farce that packs an impossible and imposing mountain of problems for the Cooper family – dad, Ben (Steve Carell), mom, Kelly (Jennifer Garner), big brother, Anthony (Dylan Minnette), big sis, Emily (Kerris Dorsey), Alexander and baby Trevor (Elise and Zooey Vargas) – to face in a few short hours. In no particular order, besides the gum, the Coopers must face a prom, a birthday party, a school play, girl problems, job problems, no job problems, a competing birthday party, a wrecked car, a ruined bumblebee pacifier, a driver’s license exam and a really bad taste tuxedo, among other mishaps. And, all of these disasters, and more, take place over the course of a single day. What is needed to enjoy the silly “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” is turn off the part of your brain that questions that silliness and enjoy. The cast is perfect for this brand of manic, harebrained humor that permeates the movie. There are lots of laughs and so much crazy action that you feel like you are on a mini rollercoaster.