“And at the end of the day, there is no sweeter dream than that.”

From Cheaper by the Dozen.

When Paul Baker (Zach Braff) met Zoey (Gabrielle Union), the two quickly fell in love and got married. Even though the divorced Paul brought his kids Ella (Kylie Rogers), Harley (Caylee Blosenski), and Haresh (Aryan Simhadri) together with the also divorced Zoey’s Deja (Journee Brown) and DJ (Andre Robinson), the couple soon found their family expanded even more with the births of Luna (Mykal-Michelle Harris), Luca (Leo Abelo Perry), Bailey (Christian Cote), and Bronx (Sebastian Cote). Despite being overrun with kids, with the help of Paul’s ex-wife Kate (Erika Christensen) the Bakers still manage to run a breakfast joint that features Paul’s perfect-on-everything sauce. Despite his solid relationship with Deja and DJ, Paul feels somewhat threatened when Zoey’s rich, talented ex-husband Dom (Timon Kyle Durrett) moves back to town to be closer to his kids. When several investors (Brittany Daniel and Cynthia Daniel) approach Paul and Zoey about turning their restaurant and sauce into a national chain, Paul is eager to follow his dream, especially when coupled with the giant signing bonus the investors provide. Accepting the investors’ offer, the Bakers are able to move into a larger house in a nicer neighborhood, but Paul’s business trips and commitments make it harder and harder for him to be home with his family as the brand sets up to launch. The Baker household is not finished growing though, because when they receive word that Paul’s sister has entered rehab, Paul’s nephew Seth (Luke Prael) comes to stay with them. Challenges from new schools, neighbors, and schedules leave the Bakers searching for what makes them such a strong family. With their family threatening to pull apart, Paul and Zoey must rediscover what makes their family work and find a way to recapture it.

This well-known and hilarious story of a large, hectic family has received a remake that, despite a few bumps, is filled with laughter. Braff and Union lead the pack of young actors well, both because of their genuine humor and the somewhat opposites that their roles create. While this movie’s attempts to push certain viewpoints throws off the momentum, the honesty of the blended family’s antics makes Cheaper by the Dozen a fun pick for family movie night.

| Rated: PG | Running Time: 107 minutes |Genre: comedy/drama|

||Family Viewing||Cursing: 2 of 10|Nudity: 0 of 10|Sexuality: 0 of 10|Gore: 1 of 10

|AVAILABLE FOR HOME VIEWING|