Detailed item info | Movie description | Based on a film from 1968 (that starred Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda), this is a genially sprawling family comedy about two huge families that come together to create total chaos. Helen (Renee Russo) is the free-spirited mother of ten, including six adopted children of various races. Meanwhile, Admiral Frank Beardsley (Dennis Quaid) has eight well-trained Anglo Saxon overachievers, including a class president shoo-in (Sean Faris), a cheerleader (Katija Pevec) and a pair of sugar-addict twins (Brecken and Bridger Palmer). Among those on Helen's free-spirit side are a cute guitar-playing hipster chick (Danielle Panabaker), a sullen emo boy (Drake Bell), a rapper (Lil' JJ), a hissy-fit throwing young Asian fashion designer (Lao North), twins from India (Jennifer and Jessica Habib), and a potbellied pig. When Helen and Frank impulsively wed after reuniting at a class reunion, their differing clans resent suddenly having to share bedrooms and bathroom time with such polar opposites. Devious plans are hatched, wars waged, and very few heads escape being doused with paint or other thick gooey matter, especially poor Frank's, whose regimented military mind can hardly fathom the complexities of so many run-amok age groups. Luckily, Quaid is playing the role, and he's great at mixing broad comedy with parental authority. Russo is also strong here--still sexy as ever--and the sophisticated romantic chemistry she manages to squeeze in with Quaid between pratfalls should keep the parents happy. Raja Gosnell's (BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE) direction seems to be working overtime to provide something fun for every age, and he mostly succeeds. And any film with Linda Hunt as a martini-swilling housekeeper can't be all bad.
| | Credits | | Producer: | Richard Suckle, Tracey Trench | | Cast: | Amber Tamblyn, Dean Patrick Jones, Dennis Quaid, Linda Hunt, Rene Russo, Rip Torn, Sean Faris |
| | Details | | Edition: | Widescreen |
| | Editorial reviews | "Mr. Quaid and Ms. Russo comfortably hold their own amid the madness..."
New York Times - Stephen Holden (11/23/2005)
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