![]() Smash blames Alice for the family breaking up, because she thinks that Alice drove Smash’s father away by being a nagging shrew. Why? Smash’s father left the family to live with a woman who’s much younger than Alice. Alice arrives in her car to retrieve Smash, who reluctantly leaves with her mother, but not before mouthing off some choice words to Alice in a rude and insolent manner. This group looks like it might be a bad influence on her. Meanwhile, Smash is hanging out with a group of boys outside a seedy-looking area. And what book does Ros check out of the library? “Five Children and It,” of course. Ros replies that whatever she’s written has ended up as crumpled paper in a trash bin-an indication that she’s a perfectionist who’s very hard on herself. She’s shown at a library, where a librarian asks Ros if she’s started on her novel yet. Ros is a studious, obedient bookworm who aspires to be a famous novelist. The opening scenes of the film make it clear that two of the kids are definitely going to clash with each other. In the book, David is Smash’s stepfather, while Alice is Ros and Robbie’s stepmother.īecause the movie adds this new plot element of David’s and Alice’s kids not knowing each other before this fateful vacation, there’s quite a bit of screen time spent on all the conflicts that ensue because of this uncomfortable situation-so much so, that all of this manufactured drama for the movie unfolds long before the kids even see the talking creature that’s supposed to be the catalyst for the adventure part of the story. Can you say “awkward”? It’s a big departure from the “Four Children and It” book, where David and Alice are both British and already married to each other, after divorces from their first spouses, and Maudie is their biological child together. The vacation will be the first time that this couple will tell their kids about the relationship and introduce the kids to each other. And what the children also don’t know yet is the true intention for David and Alice to arrange this trip.Īlice and David have been secretly dating each other. It’s at this beach that the kids will meet the aforementioned talking creature, which doesn’t show itself when the parents are around. What do they all have in common? They’re all about to go on holiday together at an English countryside beach, where they’ll be staying at David’s vacation home. Alice (played by Paula Patton) is an American mother of 13-year-old rebellious brat Samantha, nicknamed Smash (played by Ashley Aufderheide), and sweet-natured 5-year-old Maudie (played by Ellie-Mae Siame). David (played by Matthew Goode) is a British father of 13-year-old book enthusiast Rosalind, nicknamed Ros (played by Teddie Malleson-Allen) and adventurous 9-year-old Robbie (played by Billy Jenkins). “Four Kids and It” begins by showing two different divorced parents with their respective kids. Nesbit’s 1902 children’s novel “Five Children and It.” The movie version is a far inferior version of the book, since it adds an irritating new character that mucks up the story and actually makes it more confusing to the people unfamiliar with the novels. The screenplay for “Four Kids and It” (clumsily written by Simon Lewis) is adapted from Jacqueline Wilson’s 2012 children’s novel “Four Children and It,” which was inspired by E. ![]() “Four Kids and It” (directed by Andy DeEmmony) is an utterly predictable and frequently boring mush of mediocrity that won’t be the type of “addictive” viewing that can be described for so many beloved family-friendly films. In case you think the world still doesn’t have enough family films that are about non-human talking creatures, here comes another one that unfortunately will be relegated to the “forgettable” pile. Teddie Malleson-Allen, Ashley Aufderheide, Ellie-Mae Siame, Matthew Goode, Paula Patton and Billy Jenkins in “Four Kids and It” (Photo courtesy of Lionsgate) By Carla Hay Teddie Malleson-Allen and Ashley Aufderheide in “Four Kids and It” (Photo courtesy of Lionsgate)Ĭulture Representation: Taking place in England, the comedy/drama/fantasy film “Four Kids and It” features a predominantly white cast (with some black people) representing the middle-class and wealthy.Ĭulture Clash: A British man and his American girlfriend go on a blended family vacation together for the first time with their respective children, who secretly discover an ancient talking creature that can make wishes come true.Ĭulture Audience: “Four Kids and It” is a family film that children under the age of 10 might enjoy, but older kids and adults might be bored with the often-dull, awkward and predictable storyline.
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