Dumb 'Are We' is unfunny mess

ARE WE DONE YET? — * — Ice Cube, John C. McGinley, Nia Long; rated PG (violence, vulgarity, mild profanity, brief drugs, brief partial nudity); Carmike 12 and Ritz 15; Century Sandy and South Salt Lake; Cinemark Jordan Landing; Megaplex 12, 17 and 20

The worst thing about "Are We Done Yet?" isn't that it's a sequel to "Are We There Yet?" a noxious alleged family comedy from 2005 that didn't deserve a sequel.

The worst thing is that the film actually claims to have been based on "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," the classic 1948 comedy starring Cary Grant.

But this Ice Cube vehicle is far from a classic. It's alternately mean-spirited and dumb, and it features few if any laughs.

Producer Cube reprises his role as Nick Persons, who's got his hands full with a new wife, Suzanne (Nia Long) and two obnoxious stepchildren — the frail Kevin (Philip Bolden) and the sassy Lindsey (Aleisha Allen).

Nick's bachelor pad is too small for them and the new family dog, so he buys a rather quaint home in the country. Unfortunately, what realtor Chuck Mitchell Jr. (John C. McGinley) hasn't told him is that it's a real fixer-upper. And as it turns out, the only contractor, inspector and fix-it-man in the vicinity is ... you guessed it, Chuck.

The first "Are We?" movie was basically a road comedy. And if anything, this equally unfunny mess more resembles the 1987 buddy comedy "Planes, Trains & Automobiles," with Cube and McGinley taking the Steve Martin and John Candy roles.

The talented McGinley (TV's "Scrubs") does try to work this material into some sort of comedic shape. But it defies his best efforts. And having him play off of the scowling, unlikable Cube (at least in this role) certainly doesn't help.

"Are We Done Yet?" is rated PG for slapstick violence (pratfalls, animal attacks and assorted mayhem), crude animal flatulence humor, scattered mild profanity, brief drug content (asthma-inhaler use), and brief, partial male nudity. Running time: 92 minutes.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com