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Are We Done Yet?

5/10

Stars: Ice Cube, Nia Long, John C McGinley

Director: Steve Carr

Supposedly based on the Cary Grant classic Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House, but seemingly owing more to Tom Hanks' The Money Pit, this mishandled sequel to Are We There Yet? finds Nick (Cube) now wed to the lovely Suzanne (Long) and saddled with her two stroppy children.

Buying a seemingly idyllic property in the country from Chuck (the donkey-faced McGinley), a smarmy estate agent, Nick soon finds his dream house falling apart. Doors fall off, windows collapse and electrics fail. Dry rot, termites and faulty foundations follow. Chuck also proves to be both the local contractor and 'city inspector' who vetoes Nick's cheapo wiring repairs, and the property soon resembles a building site. Chuck is, however, also a qualified midwife, which might come in handy as Suzanne is expecting twins.

Well, Nick's stepson almost drowns in a nearby lake, his 13-year-old stepdaughter threatens to get into trouble with the son of one of the many workmen on the site, and Nick himself falls through the roof chasing a raccoon.

It's all harmless enough, but insufficient thought has been given to applying logic to the story. How could Nick afford all these repairs, even with a 'huge advance' (really?) on the first issue of his sports magazine? How could he not find time to contact Magic Johnson (who appears as himself) for the issue? Would Chuck actually order all the new wiring removed and leave Nick without power? And would Nick really not have had the house surveyed before purchase?

Nick's volte-face at the end, too, is ridiculous. When Chuck says 'I know I screwed your life up', Nick should be agreeing, not turning soft-hearted. The three blind plumbers are fun but, as with its other ingredients, the film fails to make the most of them.



David Quinlan

USA 2007. UK Distributor: Sony/RKO Pictures. Colour by De Luxe.
92 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: PG.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 05 Jun 2007