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

“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” is a cookie-cutter family comedy with multiple laughs but zero heart. It's all the more shocking when you consider Disney's track record of cookie-cutter films with big heart. I guess you can’t win them all.

Based on the children’s book of the same name, the film follows Alexander (Ed Oxenbould) on the worst day of his young life: He wakes up with gum in his hair, makes a fool of himself — multiple times, in front of his crush — his birthday plans get overshadowed, and he almost burns down the school. What’s a boy to do?

I felt very conflicted as the credits rolled. I loved the all-star cast: Steve Carell was his normal hilarious self, Jennifer Garner was the perfect loving mom, and Oxenbould played the perfect hero, but in the end, the film felt very bare. The characters are all likable but never seem to change as people. The only character that really makes any "change" is Alexander’s older brother when he dumps his shallow girlfriend, but the scene felt extremely forced.

The biggest problem with the film is the fact that the chaos of this one really bad, horrible, no good day takes precedence over everything else. At the beginning of the film, Alex appears to be the epitome of Murphy’s Law, and that is fitting for the story, but the sheer amount of mishaps is pretty unrealistic. The film never feels like a cohesive story; only one bad event after another.

“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” isn’t the worst family movie you’ll ever see, but it never plucks the right heartstrings. If you’re curious about seeing the film, then I’d say pick it up at your local video store and be glad you missed it at the theater.

Film: 3 Yaps Extras: 2.5 Yaps