Yours, Mine And Ours [2005]

Based on a film from 1968 (that starred Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda), this is a genially sprawling family comedy about two huge families that come together to create total chaos. Helen (Renee Russo) is the free-spirited mother of ten, including six adopted children. Meanwhile, Admiral Frank Beardsley (Dennis Quaid) has eight well-trained overachievers, including a class president shoo-in (Sean Faris), a cheerleader (Katija Pevec) and a pair of sugar-addict twins (Brecken and Bridger Palmer). Among those on Helens free-spirit side are a cute guitar-playing hipster chick (Danielle Panabaker), a sullen boy (Drake Bell), a rapper (Lil JJ), a hissy-fit throwing young fashion designer (Lao North), twins from India (Jennifer and Jessica Habib), and a potbellied pig. When Helen and Frank impulsively wed after reuniting at a class reunion, their differing clans resent suddenly having to share bedrooms and bathroom time with such polar opposites. Devious plans are hatched, wars waged, and very few heads escape being doused with paint or other thick gooey matter, especially poor Franks, whose regimented military mind can hardly fathom the complexities of so many run-amok age groups. Luckily, Quaid is playing the role, and hes great at mixing broad comedy with parental authority. Russo is also strong and the sophisticated romantic chemistry she manages to squeeze in with Quaid should keep the parents happy. Raja Gosnells (Big Mommas House) direction seems to be working overtime to provide something fun for every age, and any film with Linda Hunt as a martini-swilling housekeeper cant be all bad.