Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip – Disney+ – 1 hour and 18 minutes
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Overly cautious, Alexander is known for his bad luck, so much so that his sister, Mia, walks 10 steps before Alexander whenever they go anywhere. Mia and Alexander enter their mother’s Prius and back out of the driveway. Mia, on her phone, backs into a fire hydrant. When their mother, Val, returns home, Mia blames Alexander’s luck. Val refuses to hear Mia’s excuses and takes Mia’s cell phone and car keys. Their father, Frank, enters the driveway while talking to his manager, Brett. Frank’s cooking got a bad review from an important writer. So, Brett will close the restaurant. When Val asks Frank about the restaurant’s foot traffic, he says everything is fine.
While Frank’s mother, Lidia, cooks, Val gives them some good news. Her job rented an RV for the family. Now, they can go on a family vacation to Soledad, Mexico, and she can document the trip for the magazine. She wants to be her last article. Val desires to spend more time at home to connect with her children and rely on Frank’s income to support the family. Frank bit his tongue at the unexpected information.
Before dinner, Alexander goes into the attic. He finds a chest belonging to his great, great grandfather Alejandro with an idol inside. Alexander questions his family about the artifact at dinner. His grandfather, Gilbert, explains that three witch sisters gave the idol to Alejandro for good luck. However, they instructed Alejandro to return it when he had enough, or his luck would turn. Alejandro became wealthy and refused to return the artifact. A disease took over his crops, and Alejandro burned them. The fire spread and devastated Soledad. Alexander can’t believe his parents named him after the unluckiest person in the family. Now, he thinks he possesses Alejandro’s luck. Frank grabs the idol and throws it in the trash.
The family boards the RV for their trip while leaving Gilbert behind to watch the dog. Val crashes the RV after a series of unfortunate accidents. They stop at a botánica to figure out what to do next. Alexander and Mia wait outside while the others shop. Alexander bumps into the cooler, and the idol tumbles out. Alexander and Mia stand in stunned silence. They choose to keep quiet about the artifact. Alexander wants to return to Soledad and give the witches the idol to break the family’s curse. When his parents leave the shop, they’ve decided to return home. Mia and Alexander say they want to learn about their heritage and convince their mother to rent an RV for the remainder of the trip. This road trip will go from no good to terrible. Will the Garcia family survive intact, or will the curse strike again?
Inspired by Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, the start allows viewers to connect with Alexander’s loving family (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The script offers laughs as the Garcias travel from Colorado to Mexico. They run into obstacles no one will expect. The director presents practical graphics for fantastical events. This setup allows the audience to enjoy the scenes without worrying about the family’s safety, similar to the 3 Stooges. Gil and Lidia offer two perspectives on the Garcia family heritage. Lidia expresses it through food and language. However, Gil gives Alexander a dose of machismo. These conflicting views will draw viewers’ attention while making them laugh, no matter their background. The movie is for the tween and teen audience. It’s not the best of Disney+, but this standalone sequel is clean entertainment without forcing specific views.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
It feels like fighting – Alexander
I should get punished for his bad luck – Mia
How is this my fault – Val
Ok, Shark Tank – Missy
It looks like you lost – Lydia
Qué pasa, Mufasa – Gilbert
Alexander, there is no such thing as curses – Frank
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