Cheaper by the Dozen, directed by Gail Lerner, is the latest victim of the remake machine. Most who are old enough will remember the 2003 version of this film starring Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, which itself was a remake of the 1950 film of the same name. This new updated version reimagines the Baker family as a blended family with every possible family scenario thrown in for good measure.
As the opening narration reveals, Paul Baker (Zach Braff) and Zoey Baker (Gabrielle Union) come together with three and two kids, respectively, from previous relationships. Together, they welcomed two sets of twins and built a mom-and-pop shop from the ground up. Paul is a chef; Zoey has a degree in marketing. The family is more than just Paul and Zoey, though, as they have an almost live-in babysitter with Paul’s ex-wife Kate (Erika Christensen), two dogs, and later invite Seth (Luke Prael), Paul’s nephew, into their home when he needs a place to stay. Zoey’s ex Dom (Timon Kyle Durrett) is a famous athlete who is less hands-on than Paul’s ex, but for the most part, Zoey and Paul steer the ship when it comes to raising all the kids. Just like with 2003's Cheaper by the Dozen, the Baker patriarch has a shift in his career that has him moving the family to a bigger house in a fancy neighborhood. This causes a rift between Zoey and Paul as their business decisions come from Paul’s choices rather than from them as a united front. The kids all have varying reactions to moving, but they aren’t happy, leading to a Baker family in crisis.
Viewers familiar with the work of Kenya Barris — who co-wrote the screenplay with Jenifer Rice-Genzuk — will know that Cheaper by the Dozen will be anchored by the racial dynamics of the Baker family. Zoey and her children are Black, Paul and his kids are white, except for Haresh (Aryan Simhadri), Paul and Kate’s adopted Indian son. This is a constant through-line in the film and Zoey and Paul talk candidly about their individual experiences. Zoe’s ex is frustrated by a white man raising his Black children and, of course, the children in question have to face numerous challenges because of their race at some point in their lives (some already have). While Barris’ brand of openly discussing these dynamics has succeeded in the past, this remake’s social messaging is not backed up or fully explored to warrant such an on-the-noise approach.
The film itself is enjoyable. It is a cute family romp that will get a few chuckles out of its audience and then quickly fade from memory thereafter. What's most noticeable is that Cheaper by the Dozen doesn’t have the undeniable charm of the 2003 version. The modern remake lacks sincerity. Paired with choppy editing, bland humor, undefined perspectives, and muddled social commentary, it makes it all the more difficult to argue in favor of the remake's existence. It doesn't help that the film looks and feels like an ABC family comedy, something that would be slated alongside the series Black-ish. The acting and writing support this as Cheaper by the Dozen is a borderline sitcom in a feature format. It's less than what the core themes deserve.
Cheaper by the Dozen is doing the most. The family is simply too much and not enough is done to make them feel like a unit. Besides the family having Black children, biracial children and an adopted Indian son, there is Harley (Caylee Blosenski), Paul’s daughter who uses a wheelchair and cousin Seth who joins the family after his mother goes to rehab. Yet none of the kids have interior lives and what viewers know about them is surface-level. Everything that is remotely interesting about these kids is shown through their attire, their rooms, and occasional quips. The opening narration lays it all out for audiences as well. The lack of the kids' interiority lessens the impact of key parenting moments for Zoey and Paul, who have to reckon with their choices as parents and their decision to move to a neighborhood where their kids feel unwanted. In a key scene where Deja (Journee Brown) confronts her parents, she reveals experiences Cheaper by the Dozen never explores, including Harley’s wheelchair ramp being a point of contention for their neighbors. Yet the audience never sees this unfold. Seth is perhaps the only character that has a full character arc, and that isn't saying much.
Cheaper by the Dozen is a fluffy family drama that ultimately doesn’t amount to anything. There is no real tension regarding any of the issues that the Baker family face. With so much left unexplored, one has to wonder if a series adaptation would have been best. Each episode could have been dedicated to one child and whatever it is they are going through. In the end, Cheaper by the Dozen is a tepid remake that is made complicated by creative choices that seek to be diverse without any meaningful representation or understanding of what it is to be inclusive. It is great that this blended family is so diverse, but if there is no thoughtful integration of their stories, they remain merely set dressing.
Cheaper By The Dozen begins streaming on Disney+ on March 18. The film is 107 minutes long and is rated PG for thematic elements, suggestive material and language.
