Cheaper By The Dozen became an international household classic with its remake headlined by Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt. Tom Baker and his large family won the hearts of the viewing public in both memorable films charting the ups and downs of the Baker’s chaotic family lives in 2003 and then with its sequel in 2005.
Now with a 2022 reboot, Disney+ has entered the arena with its new Cheaper By The Dozen (referred to hereafter as Cheaper By The Dozen Reboot) starring Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union. Despite garnering mixed reviews, it keeps itself light-hearted family entertainment with a modern twist.
10 Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) – Iconic Casting And Faultless Characters
One of the best elements of the 2003 remake is the A-list cast comprising Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Piper Perabo, Tom Welling, Hilary Duff, and Ashton Kutcher to name a few. Martin is very believable as Tom Baker, head of a huge family, who is juggling his advancing career with trying to support his family.
His chemistry with his on-screen wife and children is undeniably good as Martin portrays Tom’s anxieties authentically and memorably. Similarly, all twelve children despite being very different ages have a fantastic presence on screen as siblings clubbing together to wreak havoc.
9 Cheaper By The Dozen Reboot – Excellent Inclusivity
Gail Lerner’s 2022 reboot commits itself to an all-rounded inclusive family. Protagonist Paul Baker has his family-run restaurant ‘Bakers Breakfast’ and is given the opportunity to expand. With this money, he moves the family from Los Angeles to Calabasas thinking he can provide better for them. A backstory is provided as to how Paul met his wife, Zoe, and how they came to have eleven children combined, plus a nephew.
The family dynamic is fun and fresh and explores the realities of having mixed-race children in a light and comfortable way. Paul ultimately learns lessons about his children needing different things from him.
8 Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) – Hank Pranks
Pranks undertaken by the Baker children reign supreme in the first remake, specifically those on the eldest daughter’s selfish boyfriend, Hank. Portrayed by Ashton Kutcher, he is insufferable and hates Nora’s siblings who share the sentiment. The pranks that they inflict upon him throughout the film are an early-2000s style of slapstick that is equal parts cruel and comedic.
The viewer gets a sense of not only how much Hank deserves this mal-treatment, but also an insight into how Tom struggles as the patriarch of the Baker household and cannot predict the behavior of his children.
7 Cheaper By The Dozen Reboot – Co-Parenting Lessons
Cinema struggles with comfortable co-parenting and this reboot challenges that legacy with Paul and Zoe, along with their ex-partners Kate and Dom. This intensifies the reboot’s ability to be more inclusive of all types of families, with Kate dipping in and out to help with childcare and Dom trying to be more active in his children’s lives. Kate not paying full attention whilst babysitting and the younger kids doing challenges and using the house as a playground is certainly a homage to the earlier films and adds some slapstick humor.
The kids seem younger in this film than in the previous remakes which makes it sillier in tone. Conversely, a more serious Dom wants to ensure that Paul understands the reality of his black children growing up and facing prejudice. It certainly is all-rounded.
6 Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) – Good Enough For A Sequel
In 2005, Steve Martin et al. graced the screens again with Cheaper By The Dozen 2, with Eugene Levy taking a headlining role as Jimmy Murtaugh, which provided just as many laughs and sentimental family moments. Despite receiving mostly negative reviews from critics at the time, it carries the nostalgia from its previous film.
By pinning two equally large and rival families (the Bakers and the Murtaughs) against each other throughout, comedic competition reigns supreme as they battle it out. Like the other remakes, a strong message is conveyed that family unity is everything and that there are lots of ways to be a great parent.
5 Cheaper By The Dozen Reboot – Reality Hits Home
Paul Baker’s story is able to convey slightly more realistically the financial burdens that affect a large family. Before his sauce deal, he struggles to keep up with their payments which is a present-day reality that hits a bit harder than the remakes from twenty years ago.
Amongst the chaos, Paul and Zoe also face issues with disciplining their children, and often parenting styles also clash with Kate and Dom. There is an awkwardness between adults behaving childishly with each other and this does make the film’s dynamic storyline fall short in parts.
4 Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) – Excellent Chaotic Large Family Vibes
All of the remakes have copious amounts of chaos to offer but nothing compares to the first experience viewers get of the Baker family. The overwhelming atmosphere of children running around in a confined space and Tom and Kate struggling to run after them all will always be the hilarity highlight of the 2003 film.
Yet, there is also a large open acceptance of them working together as a family, most obviously the iconic shots of both parents making lunches for school in the morning. Their quiet unity speaks to a deeper commentary on the Baker family dynamic.
3 Cheaper By The Dozen Reboot – Dealing With Racism
The reboot seems unsure of how to handle racism with its Disney+ audience and does so without getting too deep. Zoe’s experiences of racial profiling raise questions about her reservations of Calabasas and Paul’s privilege.
Paul wants all of his family to be on the same page as him, but his decision-making ends up affecting his children more. When some of them experience real difficulties at school, such as Haresh being bullied, this is brushed over fairly quickly for bigger family moments such as Seth the ‘misunderstood’ cousin needing to be included by everyone.
2 Cheaper By The Dozen (2003) – A Beautiful Friendship Between Boy And Frog
There is no surprise that quiet middle child Mark’s friendship with his trusted frog, Beanz, is an emotional highlight. When Beanz passes away, Mark is understandably devastated and nobody seems to care, leading to the final climax of the film where he runs away.
The colossal search and emotional reunion with the entire family massively contribute to the final resolution of the film. The family addresses their issues together and Tom vows to spend more time with his wife and children. It is heart-warming and slightly hilarious that it was caused by a frog.
1 Cheaper By The Dozen Reboot – Has Its Heart In The Right Place
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Paul wants to provide for his kids and give them the best but does not actually realize that they all just want to be together. Lessons are learned as he becomes more attentive and understanding of his family members and especially those in his family who can be at a disadvantage. This is perhaps the saving grace of the reboot, as it does not carry the nostalgia of the ‘original’ remakes, but it remains loyal to the franchise theme of families being there for each other when it really matters.
Lerner’s film portrays a large family being able to unite despite their hardships and differences.