La famille parfaite

Children who are neighbors and friends scheme to win a contest that will allow a single dad to keep up payments on the mortgage and, therefore, not have to move. The scheme spirals out of control in a way that gives two feuding single parents an opportunity to see each other in a new light. Charming, warm, and funny. As for those who complain that this is not a movie to be taken seriously, I can only say, "Duh!"

I first saw this movie on The Disney Channel in Summer 1997. I enjoyed it a lot. I mean it's not My Cousin Vinny (my favorite movie) but it's also not Barney's Great Adventure (the worst movie ever made!) It's far better than the 1997 Jennifer Aniston/Kevin Beacon flick "Picture Perfect," which I give an F- This was a very good movie. If you want a movie that has good family entertainment, comedy, and suspense rent Picture Perfect.

A

This movie is typical TV movie fare. Nothing extraordinary - except for Richard Karn! He makes this movie. I think Karn is a wonderful actor. I would make a rough comparison of him to Jimmy Stewart. If you're a Karn fan, you'll love it. If not, well, it's basically impossible to find....

I thought it was a great family movie, which are as scarce as hen's teeth these days. It had a lot to say about misjudging others, before actually getting to know them, and how, with a team effort, families can stay together. I thought Richard Karn was fantastic at the slap stick comedy, in the restaurant scene, especially.

The plot is implausible at best. The characters? Mere caricatures. The acting? Second rate. And yet, in spite of that all, there's something incredibly charming about this movie that allows me to see past that all, and actually enjoy it.

The set-up, two adolescents that scheme to bring their single parents together, has been done before, yet there's still a heart to it.

6/10.