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From waking up to a car that won’t start to wearing my shirt inside out for nearly half a day, I know a thing or two about bad days. Most of the time, it’s a matter of inconvenience when things simply don’t go as expected, but for 11-year old Alexander, he just can’t seem to shake his string of bad days. Disney’s latest film Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day debuts in theaters this weekend and is certain to evoke laughter, albeit likely commiserative.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is loosely based on Judith Viorst’s book of the same name. Ed Oxenbould stars as 11-year old Alexander, who finds little comfort from his family after experiencing the most horrible day of his life. You know it’s going to be bad when you wake up with gum stuck in your hair, but unfortunately for young Alexander, things get far worse. From starting a fire in the science lab in front of the girl he likes to finding out that his birthday party falls on the same day as the most popular (and richest) boy in class, Alexander wishes someone could empathize with his misery. Out of frustration, Alexander makes a prophetic birthday wish that results in the entire Cooper family experiencing their own “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”
None of the events experienced by the Cooper family seem implausible (save a certain Kangaroo scene that I won’t spoil for you), despite the hilarious chaos that ensues. It is the culmination of these events happening to the same family on the same day that evokes laughter and relatability. Steve Carell portrays Alexander’s father, who’s temporarily acting as the family’s “fommy” due to unemployment. What I particularly love about Carell’s character in the film is his persistence as the family’s “cheerleader,” always looking for the “bright side” in situations. Jennifer Garner stars as Alexander’s mom and an executive at a publishing house. Her “very bad day” involves a seriously comical copy error with far-reaching consequences. These misfortunes befall the entire family including a driving test gone seriously wrong, a failed school performance, and a pacifier that goes MIA.
While predictable at times, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is an enjoyable, relatable film filled with humor and moments of poignancy. The film’s depiction of family is unique in today’s cinematic approach to define the unconventional, and often dysfunctional family. The Coopers are a family that can laugh with and at themselves. But more importantly, this is a family that consistently shows up for one another.
See Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in theaters this Friday, October 10th, 2014. And before you see the film, be sure to enter to win $5,000, a Beautyrest queen-size mattress set, gel memory foam pillows or a queen sheet set. To enter, visit MattressFirm.com/Alexander before October 28th, 2014.
Images: Disney
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