Are We There Yet?

The combination of violent slapstick and sticky sentiment popularized in the Home Alone movies characterizes this clumsy comedy, a bid to turn gruff rapper Ice Cube into a family-friendly movie star. Cube plays Nick, a kid-phobic guy who aims to get on the good side of a gorgeous divorcee by agreeing to drive her two children from Portland to Vancouver, where she's currently stuck in a business meeting. But the tykes are determined to get their parents back together again by sabotaging any man's effort to romance their mother, and the little monsters' shenanigans lead to Nick's repeated humiliation and the destruction of his prized SUV, until something ultimately happens to make the kids warm to Cube, who melts in the glow of their affection. It's hard to imagine this by-the-numbers business working under the best of circumstances, but the star's characteristic surliness proves an insurmountable obstacle, and the children are such obnoxious brats that you can almost understand why their father left. In fact, the question you'll be repeatedly asking yourself during this trip is, “Is it over yet?” Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Brian Levant, the 21-minute “making-of” featurette “Road Trippin',” a blooper reel (8 min.), three storyboard comparisons (8 min.), “A Tour of Nick's Fine Sports Collectibles” production design featurette (5 min.), a brief deleted scene, DVD-ROM features (including a pair of games), and trailers. Bottom line: an extensive extras package for a forgettable would-be comedy.] (F. Swietek)