It’s been 19 years since the last Cheaper by the Dozen film graced our screens, but the wait for a revisit was definitely worth it! Kenya Barris and Jenifer Rice-Genzuk Henry, co-writers of black-ish and grown-ish, worked together to make this updated version more relatable and hilarious than ever before.
Stars Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff lead the film as Zoe and Paul Baker, newlyweds who bring their many children together under one roof. The blended family of 12 must learn how to compromise and prioritize and have a little fun along the way while trying to juggle the family business.
Directing numerous children during union hours with no parents or nannies on deck can be a bit overwhelming, but director Gail Lerner managed not only to handle the chaos but to get some great shots out of it as well. Braff called her eye the “most double black diamond directing I have ever seen.”
The addition to the story of Paul’s ex-wife, Kate (Erika Christensen), and Zoe’s ex-husband, Dom (Timon Kyle Durrett), contributes a whole slew of additional problems. The group’s dynamic is both comic and stressful as they attempt to co-parent in the best way possible for the children.
“I come from a large family,” Durrett said. “At one point, there were 10 of us in the house. I can relate to the chaos when I was younger, so when we were working on the film it was nostalgic to me.”
After two years in and out of quarantine, the cast was just happy to work together after a long break from movie sets. Braff said that unlike some other movies and shows he has been involved in, Lerner put an emphasis on bonding among the cast—including setting up a relay sandwich race.
The chemistry on and off the screen could definitely be felt, the actors said, as the cast became more like a family than co-workers.
Cheaper by the Dozen premieres March 18 on Disney+ and is sure to make the whole family burst with laughter.
