A Mexican-American household discovers their heritage whereas battling an historical curse on a highway journey fraught with goofy disasters. Alexander and the Horrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Unhealthy Highway Journey remakes the 2014 movie and Judith Viorst’s basic youngsters’s ebook with Latino aptitude. Themes of studying your roots and respecting cultural variations virtually make up for the strained makes an attempt at humor and a shocking lack of forged chemistry. There isn’t any scarcity of untamed shenanigans, however they barely elicit a chuckle. The sitcom components may go for the youthful audience, whereas dad and mom will battle to take a seat by way of a 90-minute runtime that feels for much longer.
The always fretting, 11-year-old Alexander Garcia (Thom Nemer), worries that his dangerous luck will doom his household’s upcoming journey from Denver to Mexico Metropolis. His mom, Val (Eva Longoria), a well-known journey author, has secured an expensive coach RV to allow them to all trip in type and luxury. Mia (Paulina Chávez), Alex’s teenage sister, shares his concern and all the time desires him 10 steps away on account of his propensity for chaos. She always checks her cellphone for a “promposal” from a cute boy in school. In the meantime, Frank (Jesse Garcia), their father, hasn’t advised anybody that his restaurant goes underneath.
Garcia Household Values
Alexander and the Horrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Unhealthy Highway Journey
2
/5
- Launch Date
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March 28, 2025
- Director
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Marvin Lemus
- Writers
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Matt Lopez
- The film is relatable in some ways and may please children who’re followers of the franchise.
- Predictable all through, proper as much as a saccharine climax that is undeserved.
- Few real laughs, and a few beginner performing.
The large day arrives with Alex inadvertently inflicting his typical calamities. Everybody, together with Lidia (Rose Portillo), Val’s mom and the kids’s “abuela,” climb into the RV with severe doubts in regards to the journey. Frank’s dad, the hard-charging, Harley-Davidson-riding Gilbert (Cheech Marin), reveals up simply in time to house-sit and watch the canine whereas everybody’s gone. Lidia cannot stand Gilbert and the wimpy Alex is not a fan of his macho tendencies.
Val tells Alex to get their baggage within the attic. He finds an eerie Mexican idol in an outdated chest that belonged to his nice, nice, grandfather. Gilbert informs him that Alejandro was cursed by three brujas (witches) after failing to return a attraction that was imagined to convey good luck. The rub being that Alejandro could not eliminate it regardless of how exhausting he tried. Frank would not imagine in such nonsense and tosses it unceremoniously within the trash. However Alex’s fears improve exponentially as he is lastly discovered the supply of his dangerous luck.
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Synthetic Bonds & Predictable Turns
Alexander and the Horrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Unhealthy Highway Journey tries early on to determine character exposition and the Garcias’ interpersonal dynamics. We see Alex and Mia arguing, Val grounding Mia for the primary labored snicker, and Frank doing his greatest to cover the reality about his failing restaurant. These scenes are supposed to endear the ensemble to the viewers and body their personalities for the upcoming journey.
The issue is that their bonds appear synthetic. The Garcias appear like actors doing their traces and never a sensible household unit. There is a palpable awkwardness that is robust to pin down however evident on display. Longoria is an effective actress, however she and the younger supporting gamers haven’t got a connection. It is a massive downside that the movie by no means overcomes.
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The second act takes a predictable flip with one thing wacky taking place each few pages of the script. Alex can not help however wreck the palatial RV and drive the household right into a smelly outdated clunker. The idol, after all, pops up out of nowhere and will increase Alex’s anxiousness to a stratospheric stage. A go to with Mia to a foolish fortune-teller lastly reveals what Alex has to do to interrupt the idol’s curse. They faux to be gung-ho to their dad and mom about ending the journey, which now has everybody packed in collectively and compelled to really talk. That is the setting the place the Garcias acquire a greater understanding of one another and household values. It is admittedly tacky, however one of many movie’s higher elements. Everybody can relate to being caught with kin and realizing how a lot you like them.
Embracing Mexican Heritage
The movie has a subtext of the Garcias embracing their Mexican satisfaction. Val, Frank, and the kids cannot actually communicate Spanish. It is by no means defined why and is not plausible, however you settle for it and transfer on. They acquire Español abilities as Mexicans save the day when their scenario will get worse. There are additionally sharp barbs with the Garcias being “undocumented” in Mexico in a reverse mockery of how the US treats unlawful migrants. That is form of intelligent, however most likely will not go down properly with audiences who view this matter sensitively. These with beef in opposition to Disney won’t be amused, however come on. It is a child’s movie; there’s actually no purpose to get labored up or political about something.
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Alexander and the Horrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Unhealthy Highway Journey runs out of fuel in a climax that goes precisely as anticipated. It is not terrible however fully forgettable when the credit roll. The characters by no means develop on you, so the saccharine joyful ending brings narrative closure with no sense of achievement. It is like shopping for a burrito from Chipotle as a substitute of a meals truck. Alexander and the Horrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Unhealthy Highway Journey is a manufacturing of Walt Disney Footage, 21 Laps Leisure, and The Jim Henson Firm. It premieres March twenty eighth completely on Disney+. You’ll be able to watch it by way of the hyperlink under:
Watch on Disney+