Movie Review: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

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J.M.J.

I recently saw Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Although this was a movie probably created for children, I enjoyed it and definitely laughed a whole lot. I think that good quality films geared towards children always have elements that appeal to adults as well, and this is certainly one of those that fit the bill. I'm not going to unfold the plot here. The purpose of this particular review is to point out a few things that caught my interest. (Actually, that is pretty much the purpose of every review I write.) 

The family dynamic in the movie consists of the dad being a stay-at-home "fommy"; this is a father that takes the place of the mother while she is at work. He even takes his baby son to a mommy yoga class, and the child's first word is "fommy." The mom is climbing up the career ladder so fast that if she were to be more involved in her family, she would tumble off and crash. I certainly think that mothers can work outside the home, but for myself, I would not want it to leave my family in the dust, forcing my husband to stay at home and raise the kids. I don't have a husband and family yet, but that's my current feelings on the matter.

I did like the message conveyed that the father was there to make his family feel better, and to take care of all of them. This is an important role of dads, I do believe. Still, though he always tried to remain optimistic, bad days happen to everyone as Alexander pointed out towards the end of the film. 

You are probably familiar with the story if you read the book as a child. The movie definitely has some different elements, but the basic plot is still visible. 

There was some crude humor included, as well as references to yoga (mentioned above) and the idea of a day being cursed because of a birthday wish. These are mild problems, and can certainly be overlooked or explained to younger children. I simply wanted to mention this coming from the viewpoint of a Catholic.

Let me know if you saw the movie and if you liked it!

God bless you,

Stephanie