Alexander and the horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day movie review

It happens. We all have days where it seems everything is going wrong as soon as you step out of bed. Even in my home where the OCD keeps everything tidy... Chaos strikes on occasion.

 For Alexander, those days seem to happen daily. He's the one that others might label as being walking bad luck. And for an eleven year old boy... It truly sucks. His family on the other hand seem to have everything going for them. Dad lost his job 7 months ago, but has been taking over the household errands and child care like a pro. Mom is moving up the corporate ladder every day at a publishing company. While she enjoys that fatter paycheck, she has begun to realize that she doesn't have much of a hand in the care of her family anymore. She spends so much time at work and if promoted, would spend even more time there. Still, she wants to keep the dough rolling and make it all work. The big brother is in high school. He's dating the prettiest and most popular girl, planning to get his drivers license, and prom is coming! For him, life is perfect. The older sister has just caught the lead of a school production and feels she has the wind beneath her wings. This up and coming diva plans to be on Broadway before too long. Then there's the baby, Trevor. He has no complaints. As long as he has his bumblebee pacifier, he's rocking and rolling.
This is their life. And Alexander can't seem to find his happiness while watching them in all their perfection. But that's all about to change...
This movie is set over a two-day period. Everything I just described is happening the day before Alexander's birthday. They are making plans and living the great life. The following day, a little after midnight, Alexander is in the kitchen alone with a class guinea pig. He's wishing himself a happy birthday with a late night treat. While doing so, he wishes that his family could have one day just like his typically are. He wants them to see how bad it is and appreciate the good just a little more when they understand what it's like for him. And sure enough... he gets his wish!

The whole day starts off terribly with everyone sleeping in. Mom's car battery is dead, she's late for work, brother gets a zit on prom day, dad has to take Trevor to his job interview, and the sister has a cold on her debut as a star. But the fun doesn't end there. I mean, let's face it... if that's the worse they had to deal with, that's cake. But no. The trouble just keeps avalanching. Its one disaster after another that seems to follow the "When it rains, it pours" concept. The question is, can they continue to roll with the punches or will they all fall down and give in the hopeless feeling that lingers on the edge.
Alexander may be in the middle and not have many years on him, but he brings the family together and shows them what its like to keep going when things look bleak.

Some of my favorite moments involve the crocodile, kangaroo, a tipsy Peter Pan, and the flaming pirate dad! I haven't always been a fan of Steve Carrell, however, this movie made me like him just a bit more. Jennifer Garner is beautiful and brought some humor to the mom roll. I felt a little disappointed by her characters reaction to the job offer news at the end. As a working mother, I often feel guilty for how much time I spend away from my own children. While I love making more money so my family can live a little more comfortably, I don't want to "live at work". I thought she would've taken a different route after the experiences her family went through. 

As far as family friendliness, this one is definitely A-Ok on that. No sex, drugs, drinking, crude humor, or language to keep you from sharing the laughter with your kids. I brought my 5 year old son with me and even he was laughing often. This is one movie I'll plan to own so that we can share a laugh later with the rest of the family who didn't go. I hope you enjoy it as well!