“Are We Done Yet” (2007)

“Are We Done Yet?” is a sequel to “Are We There Yet?”, although it began as a remake of the classic, “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House”, starring the famous Cary Grant and Myrna Loy.

This movie is a comedy about a mother, Suzanne, played by Nia Long who was raising two young, smart-mouthed children on her own (a boy and a girl). She is now married to Nick, played by Ice Cube, whom she met in the prequel and they are starting a new life together. They’re buying their first home, a fixer-upper in suburbia.

The movie focuses on the many set backs and comical errors they encounter while turning their money pit into a house and home. The excitement of starting a new life turns into a nightmare. Their contractor Chuck, played by John C. McGinley doesn’t help matters, as his approach to business is odd to say the least. Chuck gets close to Suzanne and the kids, but he and Nick are worlds apart.

The children, played by Philip Daniel Bolden and Aleisha Allen, made the comical content and were great in their roles…a pleasure to watch. I give both two thumbs up. They portrayed their characters in a believable way, as children who get into trouble and can be a handful. Unfortunately, the long list of secondary characters was more of a detriment to the story line rather than adding substance and humor.

This comedy is rated PG, for innuendos and language content and was a big disappointment for this viewer. I give 1 1/2 out of 5 stars for that very reason. “Are We Done Yet” had potential to be excellent viewing for all members of the family. One would think a movie starring young children would be acceptable and appropriate for the younger audience. The writers and directors apparently went way off course in their attempt to do so…far removed from “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House”, which was a delightful comedy.