The Cubester’s bid to become the black Tim Allen continues unabated with this unexpected sequel to the 2005 hit, Are We There Yet? That film, you may recall, featured the former rapper chauffeuring his girlfriend’s bratty kids across hundreds of miles. For his trouble, he received stinky notices, but scored $82 million at the box-office and shifted 3.7million DVDs (and counting).
One suspects Are We Done Yet? will meet a similar fate. This sappy all-ages comedy is yet another reimagined Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House featuring Mr. Cube in a role once assumed by Cary Grant. Since last we met, the NWA founder has married Nia Long and become step-parent to the brood from the first film. Now expecting twins, the couple swap his cramped city apartment in favour of a dream home in the countryside.
Within hours the place is falling apart and our hero must face the furious wrath of CGI fawns and raccoons. The not-entirely-truthful estate agent (McGinley) who sold them this money pit conveniently turns out to be a zany building contractor. As he assumes the lucrative task of restoring the house, the kids start complaining about the lack of cell phone reception. The plumbers turn out to be blind. The chimney is full of bats. Ice Cube struggles to get a crucial interview with Magic Johnson (who cameos here) to save his ailing career as a sports journalist. And so it goes until everybody bonds.
If you can stand the gloopy group hug sessions and the dumb-ass comedy, then this is an agreeable enough way to kill time. Mr. Cube is, as ever, pleasant company. But, oh my, Straight Outta Compton seems like an awfully long time ago.