Come to find out, my sister had never seen this movie! I had to show to her and it still holds up perfectly! It’s a fun family flick with a superb cast. While the second isn’t quite as good, this one is one of my childhood favorites! Rating: 4/5 - 8.5/10 - Would Recommend

Love this movie so much. Always keeps me calm and happy

i've watched this movie so many times and it never gets old. a really funny movie.

I can see where folks that grew up with this movie would like it. I'm a fan of the Clifton Webb version so this did nothing for me. Steve Martin does his best with substandard material.

_Cheaper by the Dozen_ is a reasonably enjoyable family comedy that lands somewhere in the middle of the road. It has its funny moments and a likable cast, but it is often held back by a frustrating story and some questionable character choices. Steve Martin is the main reason the movie works at all. He brings his usual charm and physical comedy, and he is easy to root for as Tom Baker. Hillary Duff is also a pleasant surprise. With such a massive cast of kids, it would have been very easy for her character to fade into the background, but she stands out and gets a genuinely solid role that gives her personality and presence. That said, the movie becomes frustrating largely because of how poorly behaved the kids are. The idea that they cannot last even fourteen days without their mom stretches patience, and instead of being endearing chaos, it often feels exhausting. The plot does not help matters. Tom gets his dream job working for an old friend, yet that same friend, along with the advertising executive, abruptly becomes the villain of the movie. The increasing expectations and shrinking patience toward Tom’s role as a father feel artificial. What makes this especially annoying is that Tom’s boss supposedly knows him well. The idea that someone who is aware he has twelve kids would suddenly expect him to be one hundred percent job focused makes little sense. The conflict feels manufactured rather than organic. The film would have been stronger if it focused purely on the challenges of raising a dozen kids, without forcing a villain into the story. More introspective moments, especially involving the neighbor parents, particularly Alan Ruck’s character, could have created a more interesting contrast between “normal” family life and the chaos of the Bakers. 6/10.