Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Culture

Learning to love good days

byCNS
14 November 2014
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA

Just a bad day: Ed Oxenbould stars in a scene from the movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Photos: CNS

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY: Starring Ed Oxenbould, Jennifer Garner, Steve Carell, Dylan Minnette, Kerris Dorsey. Directed by Miguel Arteta. Rated: PG.  

By Joseph McAleer

TOP prize for the most descriptive and longest film title of the year goes to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

This manic comedy, based on the 1972 children’s book by Judith Viorst, follows the exploits of the titular 12-year-old boy (Ed Oxenbould) as he experiences the seemingly worst day of his life.

Murphy’s Law reigns supreme in Alexander’s universe; just about everything that can go wrong does.

But in a departure from the book, director Miguel Arteta (Youth in Revolt) and screenwriter Rob Lieber extend the mayhem to Alexander’s family members so they, too, can feel what it’s like for Alexander at the bottom of the totem pole.

It’s the day before Alexander’s birthday, and his downward spiral starts with a minor annoyance; he gets gum stuck in his hair.

Just a bad day: Ed Oxenbould stars in a scene from the movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Photos: CNS
Just a bad day: Ed Oxenbould stars in a scene from the movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Photos: CNS

It’s a portent of the calamities to come.

He’s ridiculed by students at school, fails to impress the pretty girl in class, and nearly burns down the science lab.

Worst of all, Alexander gets no sympathy, or even much attention, at home.

Related Stories

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

His mum, Kelly (Jennifer Garner), is preoccupied with her job at a publishing company.

 His stay-at-home dad, Ben (Steve Carell), is busy with one-year-old Trevor (Elise and Zoey Vargas).

The older siblings are equally self-absorbed. Anthony (Dylan Minnette), the most popular kid in school, is getting ready for the prom.

Emily (Kerris Dorsey) has the lead in the school production of Peter Pan.

So as his birthday dawns, Alexander makes a wish – that his family could know what it’s like to have a really awful day.

Needless to say, they all do.

Anthony crashes the car.

Trevor has a close encounter with indelible ink.

Emily, fighting a cold, drinks too much cough syrup.

Even Dick Van Dyke, playing himself, turns up to spoil Kelly’s book launch.

If you can look beyond the relentless physical gags, a peeing baby and a vomiting teenager, there’s a small lesson here in how a family pulls together in the midst of adversity.

In the words of Alexander, “You’ve gotta have a bad day so you can love the good days even more.”

The film contains mild family discord and crude humour.

Jason McAleer is a guest reviewer for Catholic News Service.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Full of wisdom and wonder

Next Post

Uplifted by remembering our beloved

CNS

Related Posts

Vatican

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

27 May 2022
Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria
World

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

27 May 2022
Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia
Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

26 May 2022
Next Post
Person lighting candle

Uplifted by remembering our beloved

wedding rings

Marriage has a distinct meaning

Brisbane Oratory members Fr Adrian Sharp and Fr Paul Chandler outside the Oratory community’s house.

Brisbane Oratory thriving

Popular News

  • Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Abdallah family launch forgiveness campaign one year on from crash that killed four children

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Christian Brothers’ community mourn the passing of Brother Tony White

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Vatican

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

by Staff writers
27 May 2022
0

By Catholic News Agency THE Vatican is inviting Catholics to join Pope Francis in praying the rosary...

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

27 May 2022
Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

26 May 2022
Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

26 May 2022
Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

26 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping