The plot was fine. Not stellar and provided enough comic entertainment for the 102 minutes. Of course, to start with Steve Martin plays the loving, but over-protective Dad, who then turns into the jealous, middle-life crisis, controlling father, who doesn't quite feel good enough about his lot in life, then back into the loving Dad at the beginning. He is playful with the physical comedy and is convincing enough in the role. Bonnie Hunt is marvellous, but monotonous in the sensible, reasonable Mum character. Eugene Levy (of American Pie fame) is good in his role as the arrogant, wealthy and emotionally incapable father of the rival family, who provokes Steve Martin so much. This film slightly tars Levy from his brilliance in the American Pie films as the overly-embarrassing father, but he is not too bad. I think the problem with most of the acting (and especially with the child actors - including a very young Taylor Launter as the uber-perfect love interest of the tom boy) is that the characters are so stereotypical. Hillary Duff plays the glam and picture perfect daughter, Tom Welling is the jock of the film and Carmen Electra plays the blonde bimbo. It's not bad acting, it's just not remarkable.
The jokes aren't awful (surprising). I liked the cinema scene and part of the dock floating away with Bonnie Hunt sunbathing on it. Both weren't overplayed and saturated with physicality.
However, the director, Adam Shankman, who directed Hairspray & the Pacifier, did nothing innovative and I didn't get the impression he was leading this - it felt like a film held up by the actors doing the stuff without much direction.
So, all in all, it did live up to my expectations as a good time-waster. This is no gold star comedy, but credit must be given to it for its humility in that respect. It certainly could have been a lot worse and I didn't check my watch very regularly. If it is going cheap at the DVD store, it's worth picking up. Certainly will put a gentle smile on your face.
Headline review: Funny, but forgettable.
