In this relatively lukewarm comedy, Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt star as (natural) parents to 12 children, including a few twins. Aimed squarely at the "family audience," the laughs are reduced to chuckles and Martin rarely gets funnier than the lighthearted-father role he has played quite a few times before. As for Hunt, her delivery style includes many one-line zingers that definitely bring in the most laughs.

The story is almost as outlandish as the idea of a family of twelve, and while it delivers a nice message in the end, it never takes any risks and rides the train on the straight track. No turns on these tracks to throw you off the rails.

The Bakers are a loving family, with dad Tom (Martin) coaching the local small town high school football team, and mom Kate (Hunt) writing her book and raising the family. When Tom gets a dream offer to teach at his College, he takes the job and moves the family to Chicago. Of course, the kids were used to small town life, and don't cope with the move very well at all. As the big city starts to tear the family apart at the seams, helped along when Kate's best selling book sends her on a whirlwind tour away from the family, the Bakers will have to come together or self-destruct.

Of course, all is well and good in the film, and there is morals everywhere you turn. With as large of a cast as this, it's hard to get to know any of them, and most of the supporting family and friends are there for physical slapstick, emotional conflict, and jokes. In particular, Ashton Kutcher stars as the oldest Baker's boyfriend Hank, a television model that cares more about himself than his girlfriend's family. The younger siblings take advantage of Hank's selfishness and play pranks that humiliate him, hoping he'll leave their sister Nora (Piper Perabo). As usual, Kutcher plays the dimwit rather well, not too much of a stretch for him.

Overall, the film is lightly funny, well paced, and at its core good hearted. While "Cheaper by the Dozen" won't win any awards or garner any critical acclaim, it is worthy of the ticket price. Nothing hidden beneath the surface, it delivers what you expect if you’re expecting a light family comedy, and now you are.