Hollywood's idea of what constitutes wholesome family fun is a lot cruder than it once was. This kiddie comedy includes separate gags involving vomit, urine and crushed testicles. And may I say I didn't really mind a bit. At its heart, Are We There Yet? is a sweet, softhearted film about how Nick (Cube), a self-described "player" who loathes kids, learns to change his ways upon taking a 300-mile road trip through the Pacific Northwest with two of the little darlings (Philip Daniel Bolden and Aleisha Allen). The misbehaving duo belong to a divorcée (Long) Nick is trying to impress.
There Yet? offers no surprises and goes on a few scenes too long, but much of it is relatively amusing, and the kids, particularly Bolden, are cute in a precocious, sitcom way. While much of his comic playing is broad and prone to double takes, Cube brings a sincere warmth to his later scenes with the children. (PG)
