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Cheaper by the Dozen 2

Cheaper by the Dozen 2

Same Big Family... Even Bigger Adventure.

200594 minPGMidcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Director
Adam Shankman
Starring
Steve Martin, Eugene Levy, Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling

The Baker family, while on vacation, find themselves in competition with a rival family of eight children.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Cheaper by the Dozen 2?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Cheaper by the Dozen 2 streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Cheaper by the Dozen 2?

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 earns 8 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Word-of-mouth hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Cheaper by the Dozen 2 worth watching?

Cheaper by the Dozen 2's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all films, from 227K ratings across 6 sources. 33% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of films

40th percentile among Adventure33rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)41st
Approval (how many liked it)27th

59 /100

41st percentile of all films

46th percentile among Adventure40th percentile among 2000s

Critics 34 · Audience 61

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

33% liked it

27th percentile of all films

33rd percentile among Adventure25th percentile among 2000s
33% rated it 7–1067% rated it 1–6

Critics 8% · Audience 57%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 5 noms overall

98th percentile

227K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Adventure96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$60M
Opening weekend$9.3M
Domestic gross$83M
Worldwide gross$130M

Returned 2.2× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A lighthearted family sequel that is predictable but harmless.

Fans praised

  • Cast chemistry especially Steve Martin and Eugene Levy rivalry
  • Alyson Stoner's performance as daughter Sarah
  • Entertaining slapstick and physical comedy

Detractors panned

  • Predictable and formulaic plot
  • Weak script with underdeveloped subplots
  • Forced and unfunny comedy with crotch-dog gags

What stands out

Acting65

Steve Martin and Eugene Levy generate mild laughs; Alyson Stoner standout

CharactersDivisive45

Underdeveloped kids; Sarah gets only real arc

Emotional impactDivisive45

Family values warmth but overly sentimental

HumorDivisive40

Slapstick misfires; occasional funny moments

Dialogue40

Few quotable lines; bland script

Pacing35

Dragged by unnecessary subplots

Plot and story30

Generic rivalry framework, predictable beats

Originality15

Derivative formulaic family comedy

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 13 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 11 points higher than over-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Cheaper by the Dozen 2 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle and funny and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulWarmAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with good-natured warmth, presenting a comedic rivalry between two families without cynicism.
The rideThe mood is light and cheerful with some slapstick absurdity, building to a heartwarming family resolution near the end.
StructureThe story follows a conventional beginning-middle-end structure: setup at home, conflict at the lake, and resolution during the family cup.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you entertained and smiling, with a warm message about family togetherness.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1% (this title)
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film's central spine is a comedic rivalry between two fathers, played out through family competitions and social one-upmanship at a lakeside vacation.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the strength and humor of family ties when two large families compete and interact during a vacation.
StanceThe film affectionately celebrates family bonds and the fun of sibling rivalry.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalPopSupportive music · original score · John Debney
Settinga lakeside vacation town with two large families staying in adjacent houses

Content guide

Is Cheaper by the Dozen 2 okay for kids?

PG

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 is rated PG: “Rated PG for some crude humor and mild language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), sexual content at mild (26/100), language at minimal (13/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (18/100) and frightening material at minimal (8/100). Overall it is heavier than 6% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 17 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • JapanPG12
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • AustriaAA
  • CzechiaU
  • Hungary12
  • NetherlandsAL
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO12
  • SpainAPTA
  • SwedenBtl
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 1% of all filmsHeavier than 6% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 16%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 61%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 21%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 33%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 5%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 61% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Cheaper by the Dozen 2 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Cheaper by the Dozen 2?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Steve Martin
as Tom Baker
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eugene Levy
as Jimmy Murtaugh
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bonnie Hunt
as Kate Baker
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Welling
as Charlie Baker
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Piper Perabo
as Nora Baker-McNulty
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Hilary Duff
as Lorraine Baker
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Carmen Electra
as Sarina Murtaugh
Jaime King
as Anne Murtaugh
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Taylor Lautner
as Eliot Murtaugh
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Alyson Stoner
as Sarah Baker
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Cheaper by the Dozen 2?

Movies like Cheaper by the Dozen 2 include Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2022) and The Great Outdoors (1988). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and Frank B. Gilbreth Jr., and most are family adventures.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its feel: playful. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Cheaper by the Dozen 2?

110 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: parent. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.