Beginning with a boy woken up to the sound of his brother blowing his didgeridoo in his ear, gum in his hair, and a sister hogging the bathroom, Disney's latest, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No good, Very Bad Day", is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud comedy that is worth a watch by parents and kids alike. Starring Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner, this movie, based on a children's book, manages to keep if not gain momentum throughout its course. The story and actions of the characters maintain a steady flow of laughter, fluctuating from light chuckles to burst of roaring laughs. There were also some cringe-worthy moments when it was obvious what was coming and all you could wonder is "Why would they go through with that?"
The story follows a 12-year-old boy, Alexander, played by Ed Oxenbould, on the day before and day of his birthday. He has quite a terrible day on the former, and he tries to tell discuss this with his family: made up of his parents, older brother and sister, and baby brother. While his family sympathizes, they do not seem to relate to the situation to Alexander's liking, only being able to procure reassurances that it will get better, though he argues that every day is like this for him.
Later that night, on the eve of his birthday, he wishes his family could better understand him on a candle in a birthday sundae he made. As expected, each member of the family inevitably proceeds to have their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. From bumbled interviews, inappropriate book readings, a drugged up Peter Pan, and a driver's test that almost made the car fail, hilarity ensued as these terrible, horrible days brought the family together in an effort to turn the day around, especially the good humored parents. Everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong, the absurdity of which only contributed to the comedy.
Carell and Garner pull off their roles as over-stressed, exasperated, patient, and loving parents seemingly effortlessly. The children balanced being self-centered teens and caring members of the family and the baby was an adorable observer of the future craziness that will be his life.
For children, there are more than enough ridiculous situations (imagine fire in science labs and an older brother failing his driver's test)  and relatable scenes (such as being bullied by older siblings or rebuffed by a crush for the "popular" kid) to keep them entertained. Even older, more mature viewers, who might just be in the theater escorting a young fan, have no good days. This light-hearted comical interpretation of what a very bad day feels like has even this audience take themselves a little less seriously, with the smart jokes putting it over-the-top.
"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" was highly enjoyable and a must see for anyone looking for a good laugh. As the credits roll, the audience leaves with lots of applause and a sense of delight.