I admit that I was really looking forward to this film. I love Disney Flicks, Freaky Friday, Parent Trap, The Princess Diaries, some of my all time favorites and the previews on this one just looked fun. In some ways I suppose it was fun...I laughed despite myself but I think it had more to do with the fact that it was simple and dumb. I should have known Disney would be using the film to flaunt around their Disney girl (Raven-Symoné) and not her flaunt her well. I think the casting in this film was probably 85% of the problem with it...they were entirely wrong. Technically all the pieces were in place for a slapstick, funny adventure across the country in true Disney style. Add in some wacky characters and a cute and sweet moral and how can you go wrong? I don't know but it does...it goes very wrong. The whole film just reeks of being stupid. It has funny moments and maybe really young kids will get a bigger kick out of it but Disney has this talent for making films that ANYONE can enjoy in a family not just one demographic. The pig was the most comic relief in the film and probably one the best actors on top of that.
I've hardly seen Raven-Symoné in much outside of her young years on The Cosby Show but she was downright awful in this movie. Her over exaggerated facial expressions and terrible acting just about ruined the entire film. She was just not good in the role in any way. Her performance is a big fat ZERO out of ten. She doesn't even have the portion of talent that other Disney girls have had including Lindsay Lohan, or Hilary Duff. Martin Lawrence has a certain brand of comedic talent and sometimes it really does work but it does not work in a Disney film. It felt like he was holding back and just really was kind of overbearing and didn't really fit in. I will say however that Symoné and Lawrence did have some decent father daughter chemistry but neither one of them did much for the film. Eshaya Draper is cute as brainy kid with big ideas and Lawrence's son. He does a better job than Symoné so that is saying something. I did however like the casting of Kym Whitley as Michelle Porter (Lawrence's wife and Symoné's mother.) She does a decent in a small role but I especially liked that she is a tiny little size six 20 year old like most aging, unattractive men in movies get as wives. I mean she is still beautiful but she is real, and a bigger actress so bravo for casting a real woman in the role. Donny Osmond was actually one of my favorite character as the over the top loud obnoxiously happy fellow college father Doug Greenhut. I mean his performance is ridiculously over the top but you know that and you understand that and it's funny.
I can't say they handpicked the director very well either. I think in director Roger Kumble's very short big screen career he had one big hit with Cruel Intentions and has stumbled ever since. He just doesn't seem to handle chaos well or his cast very well. The comedy is slapstick in nature but without any real backing to it so it makes you laugh but laugh and then shake your head right after. The moral is in tact and it is kind of sweet and has a tear jerking moment in the end but mostly you just want it to end. Really little kids might enjoy this one but you'll groan from beginning to end. The film is sugary sweet and about as G as it can get which is awesome so let your kids see it but sit this one out, it's a Disney stinker. 5.5/10
I've hardly seen Raven-Symoné in much outside of her young years on The Cosby Show but she was downright awful in this movie. Her over exaggerated facial expressions and terrible acting just about ruined the entire film. She was just not good in the role in any way. Her performance is a big fat ZERO out of ten. She doesn't even have the portion of talent that other Disney girls have had including Lindsay Lohan, or Hilary Duff. Martin Lawrence has a certain brand of comedic talent and sometimes it really does work but it does not work in a Disney film. It felt like he was holding back and just really was kind of overbearing and didn't really fit in. I will say however that Symoné and Lawrence did have some decent father daughter chemistry but neither one of them did much for the film. Eshaya Draper is cute as brainy kid with big ideas and Lawrence's son. He does a better job than Symoné so that is saying something. I did however like the casting of Kym Whitley as Michelle Porter (Lawrence's wife and Symoné's mother.) She does a decent in a small role but I especially liked that she is a tiny little size six 20 year old like most aging, unattractive men in movies get as wives. I mean she is still beautiful but she is real, and a bigger actress so bravo for casting a real woman in the role. Donny Osmond was actually one of my favorite character as the over the top loud obnoxiously happy fellow college father Doug Greenhut. I mean his performance is ridiculously over the top but you know that and you understand that and it's funny.
I can't say they handpicked the director very well either. I think in director Roger Kumble's very short big screen career he had one big hit with Cruel Intentions and has stumbled ever since. He just doesn't seem to handle chaos well or his cast very well. The comedy is slapstick in nature but without any real backing to it so it makes you laugh but laugh and then shake your head right after. The moral is in tact and it is kind of sweet and has a tear jerking moment in the end but mostly you just want it to end. Really little kids might enjoy this one but you'll groan from beginning to end. The film is sugary sweet and about as G as it can get which is awesome so let your kids see it but sit this one out, it's a Disney stinker. 5.5/10