Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
The Baker brood moves to Chicago after patriarch Tom gets a job coaching football at Northwestern University, forcing his writer wife, Kate, and the couple's 12 children to make a major adjustment. The transition works well until work demands pull the parents away from home, leaving the kids bored -- and increasingly mischievous.
Cheaper by the Dozen (2003) is a broadly appealing but formulaic family comedy remake. The plot follows a predictable fish-out-of-water structure with little surprise — big family uproots, chaos ensues, parents neglect kids, lesson learned. The acting is competent with Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt bringing some charm and professionalism, elevating otherwise thin material. Cinematography is functional and unremarkable, typical of mid-budget studio family fare with no distinctive visual choices. Novelty is low — it's a remake of an already light property, hitting every expected beat of the chaotic-large-family genre without a distinctive voice or fresh perspective. The ending is a predictable warm reconciliation that resolves everything neatly and safely, offering no resonance beyond the expected.