Susan Granger’s review of “Are We Done Yet?” (Sony/Revolution release)
Not many people realize that the original “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” was about a city couple (Cary Grant, Myrna Loy) building a country home in New Milford, Connecticut, particularly since this wretched current reinvention of the concept is so far removed.
Elaborating on the “Are We There Yet?” (2005) characters who were trapped in an SUV traveling from Portland to Vancouver, there’s recently married Nick Persons (Ice Cube) with his good-natured bride Suzanne (Nia Long), her two growingly obnoxious children, Lindsey and Kevin (Aleisha Allen, Philip Daniel Bolden) and dog, Coco. Having settled into his former bachelor condo, the newly formed family descends into crisis when Suzanne announces she’s pregnant.with twins. There seems no choice but to move.
The sprawling, suburban Victorian house they choose is palatial – with vast grounds and lakeside views. It’s impressive but the pipes are rotted, the wiring is disastrous and dry rot is everywhere. It’s a “fixer-upper” money pit. Ah ha! No coincidence that their real-estate agent, Chuck Mitchell Jr. (John C. McGinley) is also the local contractor, building inspector, yoga instructor and – believe it or not – a Polynesian fire-dancer. (No, that was not in the original Eric Hodgins’ novel.) Nor was his Airstream trailer moving into the Persons’ yard.
The truism, “It’s gonna get ugly before it gets pretty” is repeated far too often.
Having paired with Ice Cube on “Next Friday,” director Steve Carr knows how to make the comedian a hapless Everyman, utilizing Hank Nelken’s script adaptation and a good owl gag. Cinematographer Jack Green captures the scenic scope, while production designer Nina Ruscio creates chaos. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Are We Done Yet?” is a dull, forgettable 4, relentlessly extending this family comedy franchise.
