Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip Parent Guide

Alexander (Thom Nemer) has a problem: he’s cursed. Things always seem to go wrong around him, to the point that he’s dedicated his life to avoiding risk at all costs. When his mom (Eva Longoria) insists on a family road trip to Mexico City, Alexander is terrified. There are so many things that can go wrong on the road. As the family sets off and things start to go awry, they’ll need to come together as a family to keep the trip going and maybe break the curse in the process.

“Family trip goes wrong” is well-trodden territory in family entertainment, and for good reason. There’s a lot of comedic material to dig into, and some fun adversity is always a great way to teach lessons about togetherness. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip is not terribly original in its premise or messages, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. The Garcias learn to come together and understand each other better, while Alexander learns that if you’re always looking for bad luck it’s sure to find you.

Although predictable, the story is an entertaining romp. The antics the Garcias get into are funny, and each character is well written and defined. The plot drags a bit in the middle, but I was mostly entertained, and I was rooting for this family to get to their destination. I think child viewers will especially love the various situations, which are always silly and never veer into actual peril.

The content concerns for this film are minimal, aside from a surprising number of terms of deity. Whether that is a factor for your family is of course up to you, but if it isn’t I think this film is a great choice for most audiences. It’s short, funny, sincere, and has surprisingly good performances. It’s not breaking any new ground and I’m sure I’ll forget about it soon enough, but in the moment, I had a good time. And that’s good enough for me.