Yours, Mine & Ours

Since I've always wanted a big family with lots of siblings, I do enjoy movies featuring large families. I'm a die-hard Brady Bunch fan, and thought Cheaper by the Dozen was awesome-- both 1 and 2.

Having said that, the plot was totally unrealistic, with entirely too many chaos/disaster scenes that I guess were supposed to be funny. There was a lot of "fluff" and not much "stuff".

But because I really enjoy movies featuring large families, I "curved" this rating and gave it a 6-- Otherwise it would probably be a 1 or 2. Because from an unbiased point of view, it looked like something somebody slapped together this morning.

When Admiral Frank Beardsley returns to his hometown after years of Coast Guard service, he meets his old flame Helen North at a high school reunion. Both recently widowed, the two find the old sparks again immediately and marry on a whim. There's one catch. Frank has eight children and Helen has ten children (many adopted).

Someone should tell the writers of Yours, Mine and Ours that chaos does not equal funny. Two parents, eighteen kids, one crazy nanny and one pig all live under the same house, so hilarity is supposed to ensue right? Well, not in this film. All of the laughs are few and far in between and when the movie is over, all you're left with is one big headache. Kids will most likely eat this one up but they deserve better films than this. It's no surprise that this film is a dud since its directed by Raja Gosnell. He is your typical bland director and he doesn't have much imagination. He always puts the lamest jokes and pratfalls into his films like Dennis Quaid falling face first into a bucket of paint.

Dennis Quaid plays the uptight father and he pretty much makes a fool of himself here. He seems to be trying so hard to get a laugh from the audience but he fails. I'm surprised he took this role since this is a little out of his usual element but I guess Tim Allen was busy. Rene Russo plays his wife and she was okay but a little bland. After this film and Two for the Money, she needs a new agent because she actually is talented. There were so many kids that it was hard to keep track of them. Most of them were either bland or they played annoying characters. There were a few that showed a little potential for the future but I wouldn't hold my breath. In the end, a weak story, very few laughs, weak acting and bad direction equals a poor film and this movie is better left on the shelf. Rent the original instead. Rating 3/10

Now, granted, 2005 was not the best year for films and lately the family movies have been quite lame. But do you really think, to those who have seen the film, that this film deserves a 3.3? Come on! Where is your sense of humor? Also, I watched this film when I was babysitting my cousins, we were just laughing our heads off because this film had some good gags in it. Yes, it's unrealistic, but what movies are? Some have to be a little unrealistic in order to deliver what we want. That's the point of films, they help us escape reality and just enjoy ourselves for an hour and a half. So please, give this family comedy another chance and just let go and have fun!

6/10

Frank Beardsley (Quaid) is a 2-Star Admiral in the USCG and a widower with 8-kids. Helen North (Russo) is a dress designer and a widow with 10-kids. They were sweethearts in High School and meet 30-years later and get married. The kids don't like it and plan to break up this union.

Let's see, we had the "Little Old Woman Who Iived in a Shoe etc; then we had Our Gang Comedies; Then the Brady Bunch; then Eight is Enough, and then My Three Sons. All had something going for them. All were good in their day and I predict that this movie will soon be a family TV show.

Yes, there are silly things in here. Come on, there are 18-kids involved so you can expect some of that. Frank runs a tight ship, and Helen does not. One of Helen's kids says, "they get married and we get drafted." See where we are going with this?

But, there are also enough funny things going on to keep you going to the end of the movie. Quaid and Russo play it straight and that is to their credit. Rip Torn is always good and is probably one of the most under-rated actors of our time. Jerry O'Connell did okay.

I am surprised at the number of times I laughed at some goings on. This is good family fun. There was good timing by all and nothing was overdone and these are quite possibly the reasons the laughs came easily. This is a well done comedy.

Yes, I can see where this will become a TV show in time.

Yours, Mine, and Ours and is fair, unoffensive movie that the whole family could enjoy. It's not the best family movie in the world but its passable because of the charm given off from the two lead actors.

This is about two high school sweethearts who reunite thirty years later and get married on the spot. But both people have a large number of children and those children combine forces so they can break up Frank and Helen.

The acting is okay. The leads are pretty much what carried this movie. Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo are great actors. I wish that the children had more screen time. I could barely tell them apart.

The film should have been paced better. It seems like thirty minutes in, we are already near then end. A better screenplay would have also helped this movie.

Overall, this is a fair but not great family film. Kids will certainly enjoy it but adults should stay clear from this film. I rate this film 6/10.