Since there are so many words in the title, I sum up Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in one word: Cute. But since you’re expecting a little more out of this review, I’ll add a few more. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s frolicsome, it’s family friendly. Add it to your current list of good movies to see with the kids, right up there with BoxTrolls.

You can readily see why  Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell would want to be involved in this project, as the well-meaning if hapless parents. Both have children who have probably read and loved the popular children’s book of the same name that was used as the source material. There just aren’t a lot of scripts out there with appropriate rolls for Mommy and Daddy that their kids can enjoy. Just imagine the young Garner/Affleck children sitting through Gone Girl.

Aside from that, everyone involved in this “cute” Disney film, directed by Miguel Arteta, looks like they’re having a great time. It’s all about Alexander, the one underachiever in a talented, good natured family, who uses his birthday wish to see that his parents and siblings for once experience the kind of bad luck day he’s accustomed to. All PG hell breaks loose as they deal with alligators, green permanent ink, Dick Van Dyke, job interviews, proms and pirate blouses, among myriad other mishaps. It’s just fun to see a film where teenagers aren’t depicted as foul mouthed sex and drug addicts.

But this is Disney, so what else would you expect? For a real treat, if you’re anywhere near L.A., see it at Hollywood’s grand and glorious El Capitan Theater, where movie going is a full entertainment experience, complete with all the wonder, awe and magic of a bygone era. It’s worth the couple dollars extra.

Rated PG

1 Hour 20 Minutes