CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2 (2005) *1/2 It must be relaxing for a great talent like Steve Martin to take these stupid little roles. Roles where he can just kind of hang out and look around for scenes to spice up with his genius. Problem is that he's real light on the spices in this one. In fact, it would probably be a terrible movie if not for the dignity lent to it by Bonnie Hunt. I mean, you don't expect dignity to be the long suit in a Steve Martin children's comedy, but that's the highest reading I got. In fact even the semi-dignity bestowed by Carmen Electra is better than anything Steve puts out. I like it when she says she's an actress, and smiles. Eugene Levy plays at about the Steve level, which means that there's this big rivalry as the centerpiece of the film and it's irritating-and it's supposed to be kind of irritating-but it's mainly irritating because it's boring. It's irritating because they're ok but we know they can do so much better. There are too many good actors wandering around for it to be awful, and its heart is undeniably in the right place, but..really.is the film the proper forum for forgiving the Steve and Eugene-type characters? I mean, couldn't be just light a big feather with a firecracker attacked to a rocket and shoot it up their ass until it displaces whatever's wrong with their brains? Just wondering.
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