THE STORY – A Hispanic American family of Colombian and Mexican heritage, who have recently lost their connection to each other and their roots, embarks on an epic road trip that goes hilariously wrong. Only Alexander, the supposedly “cursed” member of this family, can find a way to bring everyone back together.
THE CAST – Eva Longoria, Jesse Garcia, Paulina Chávez, Rose Portillo, Thom Nemer & Cheech Marin
THE TEAM – Marvin Lemus (Director/Writer) & Matt Lopez (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 78 Minutes
For decades, Judith Viorst’s classic 1972 children’s book, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” has helped young kids remember that everyone has bad days sometimes. Even today, the simple but effective story reminds us to take a breath and move on to the next. While the book came out more than fifty years ago, a new film adaptation connects that unforgettably bad day to the current epidemic of anxiety that courses through so many young kids. Releasing on Disney+, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” takes Alex and his family on an ill-fated trip to Mexico, where, naturally, nothing goes according to plan. This family comedy may not bring anything new to the road trip genre, but it’s a sweet, very silly movie with a subtle enough message for kids who often feel a bit out of control.
Marvin Lemus (“Gentefied”) directs this follow-up of sorts to 2014’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” though there’s no connection between the films. Instead of Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner parenting Ed Oxenbould’s Alexander, this film stars Eva Longoria and Jesse Garcia, with Thom Nemer as their son, Alex. When Alex Garcia sees the big, fancy RV his mom booked for their family trip to Mexico, he knows something bad will happen. He seems cursed with the worst luck ever, causing mayhem wherever he goes. This will surely cause problems when his mom, Val (Longoria), a travel writer, accompanies the family to document a trip to Mexico.
Nemer’s charming performance nails Alex’s nervousness and accidental chaos. Alex isn’t a grump; he’s a nervous, bumbling wreck, scared of causing trouble and not wanting to mess things up for his family. He’s constantly baby-proofing (or Alex-proofing?) everything around him. When the family loads into the Pathwinder XR, the “most advanced RV on the market,” he tapes napkins onto the corners of cabinets to ensure he doesn’t have a painful fall. Before the family leaves for Mexico, Alex stumbles on an old family relic buried in the attic. According to Alex’s grandfather Gil (Cheech Marin), it’s a cursed monkey statue belonging to his great-grandfather Alejandro, who stole the monkey for good luck but was supposed to return the statue to a city in Mexico, or else he would be cursed with bad luck forever. Thus, as the family embarks on their Mexican vacation, Alex is determined to return the statue and end his own bad luck.
“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” makes good use of its ridiculous premise, with every sort of calamity befalling the Garcia family along their trip. The comedy rarely feels fresh, though, rehashing bits we’ve seen in countless road trip or family vacation comedies. There’s a run-in with a skunk; they lose an RV over a cliff and get lost in the woods. Thanks to a capable and committed cast, the bits mostly land, even if it feels like we’ve seen this movie before. While Longoria and Garcia get some great moments to shine, a quick detour with Harvey Guillén as a witch doctor/gift shop owner steals the show. Guillén doesn’t get much screen time, but he’s genuinely hilarious with every bit of time he’s got.
The movie shines best when it finds small ways to bring something new to the table. While many family comedies utilize the “dumb dad” trope, Frank is an invested dad, truly partnering with Val to make a solid parenting duo, even if they’re both bogged down by Alex’s bad luck. While Viorst’s book helped remind kids that bad days can happen, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” helps remind kids not to stress about every little thing. “Let us do the worrying. That’s what parents are for,” Val tells Alex.
Lemus flexes some competent muscles as a director, crafting a nice film for younger kids to enjoy, but “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” struggles to elevate itself from the countless similar family vacation comedies. Still, the admirable message about stress and bad days comes through effectively, making a lovely, if forgettable, family-friendly film.
