5.5/10

Judith Viorst’s 20 page book comes to life in this adaptation by Walt Disney Studios. “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”follows the exploits of 11-year-old Alexander (Ed Oxenbould) as he experiences the most terrible and horrible day every day of his young life, followed by one calamity after another. But when Alexander tells his upbeat family about the misadventures of his disastrous day, he finds little sympathy and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him. He soon learns that he’s not alone when his mom (Jennifer Garner), dad (Steve Carell), brother (Dylan Minnette) and sister (Kerris Dorsey) all find themselves living through their own versions of a bad day. “Alexander” isn’t a film that people will remember as a classic for years, but it’s enough entertainment to justify a family sitting, as many peoplr can relate to what this family is going through. They don’t have a last name in the film, and i think that is personally so the film can be relatable to the audience watching and laughing at the very same things that they have gone through. The acting is decent enough, led by Steve Carrell’s wacky schtick. His dry sense of humor provides moviegoers and Carrell fans the same kind of on screen magic that he always gives in any role he undertakes. Oxenbould plays our title character well, but the direction of the movie places him in the background in a film about him. He never feels like a main character because most of this bad stuff isn’t happening to him. For a book that is 20 pages long, i knew they would have to stretch a 75 minute film VERY wide. The movie is too short to ever lag, but 25 minutews into the film, you feel like you have already seen the whole movie, and you have. It just doesn’t feel like Disney panned out much of a script to go with a novel that many of us consider legendary from our childhoods. One scene in particular displays the single worst green screen moment i have ever seen. If you go to see this movie, please keep a look out for all of the driving scenes, but the ones with the drivers door knocked off in particular. I found myself laughing at this part even when the rest of the theater was quiet around me. The film is directed by “Cedar Rapids” director Miguel Arteta, and his direction works on such a film with a sarcastic undertone. The things this family goes through is bad enough to make the audience laugh, but nothing too harmful in the long run. Overall, i enjoyed this film, but it’s too repetitive for me to give a passing grade to. I am still going to recommend the film, but only for a family sitting. I think there are enough comedic elements combined with family unity to give children and grown ups a fun night out away from the kinds of bad days we are all known for having. “Alexander” is a pleasing film without ever trying to be anything more.