Pun Salad

A perfectly nice kids movie. No kids were actually present when we watched it, but that's OK.

Alexander is a kid who perpetually lives in the shadow of the other members of his solidly middle-class Pasadena family. He's continually disrespected by his peers and teachers at school, too. When it all gets too much to bear, he makes a sad birthday wish: a similarly bad day for his dad, mom, sister, and brothers. And this wish comes true. With consistently funny, and occasionally hilarious results.

It's a "bad day", of course, in a PG-rated, affluent suburban sense. Nobody succumbs to homelessness, drug abuse (other than cough syrup), or is the victim of urban crime or terrorism. It's just property destruction, major embarrassments, poor fashion choices, stuff like that.

Steve Carell plays Dad, Jennifer Garner plays Mom, and a bunch of Disney youngsters play the kids. There is a very funny cameo from Dick Van Dyke.

What I learned: you can say "penis" four times in a PG Disney movie. Also "boobs" (just once). Times change.