Cheaper by the Dozen 2 is a 2005 American family comedy film produced by 20th Century Fox. It is the sequel to the family comedy film Cheaper by the Dozen (2003). Shawn Levy, the director of the first film, did not return as director for this one, which was instead directed by Adam Shankman (The Pacifier). Levy was a producer of it and made an appearance as a hospital intern in it. Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Hilary Duff, Piper Perabo, Alyson Stoner, and Tom Welling reprise their roles as members of the twelve-child Baker family. Eugene Levy co-stars as the patriarch of a rival family of eight children. Carmen Electra portrays his wife.
Plot[]
Two years after Tom Baker resigned from his head coaching position, his family begins to undergo many changes, beginning with Lorraine and her desire to study in New York after her high school graduation. Their oldest daughter, Nora, is now married to Bud McNulty and heavily pregnant with their first child. They intend to move to Houston because of his new job promotion.
Feeling the family is breaking apart as the children grow up and move away, Tom persuades them to take one last family vacation all together at Lake Winnetka. Tom's old rival, Jimmy Murtaugh, his new wife Sarina, and their large family (with "only" eight kids) are also there for the summer. Jimmy constantly flaunts his wealth and success to Tom, as well as the accomplishments of his children, often suggesting to Tom that his are less successful because of his parenting style. They get into many incidents, several of which are accidental: Mark Baker, along with Kenny Murtaugh, crashes into a tennis court with a golf cart, Sarah Baker is caught shoplifting in a gift shop, and Mark accidentally sets off a backpack of fireworks, causing widespread panic, especially when it is thrown into a boat, igniting its engine and causing it to explode.
Jimmy again starts the topic that Tom needs to use a firmer hand on his kids. He is angered by this, and they decide to settle the matter at the Annual Labor Day Family Cup. He trains the kids for days, not realizing they are miserable. Sarah and Elliot Murtaugh watch Ice Age together, but are spied on by their fathers, which ultimately results in them getting into an argument and humiliating their children. Upon returning home, Sarah is furious and refuses to compete for Tom in the Cup. The children are angry with him, not only for spying on Sarah, but also for ruining the entire trip through his competitiveness with the Murtaughs, and Kate laments that the two pulling with their parenting has only torn the entire family further apart.
The next morning, Tom goes to the Cup to compete with Nigel and Kyle, the only two still willing to go. However, after discovering an old "Team Baker" flag, Kate and the rest of the kids show up, showing they forgive him and are willing to compete. After the events, however, the Bakers and the Murtaughs are tied for first; a tiebreaking canoe race is announced, in which every family member must compete. During it, Nora goes into labor; the Murtaughs want to help, but Jimmy, sensing the opportunity to defeat Tom once and for all, refuses to do so. The Murtaugh children jump out of the canoe to help the Bakers. While arguing with Sarina, Jimmy reveals he was jealous of Tom being the popular one when they were younger. Eventually Sarina convinces him to help and the two families work together to get Nora to the hospital. Bud, Lorraine, and Kate go with her in the delivery room, while Tom, Jimmy, Sarina, and the rest of the kids stay in the waiting room. While talking to Jimmy, Tom realizes that he has to let his kids grow, but wherever they go, they will always be with him, and he will always be with them. Nora then gives birth to a baby boy who she and Bud name Tom in honor of his grandfather, who has shown them "there is no way to be a perfect parent, but a million ways to be a really good one." Bud announces that they have bought "The Big House", the vacation home that the Bakers have been renting. Nora, Bud, and baby Tom leave for Houston a few days later.
Cast[]
The Bakers[]
- Steve Martin as Tom Baker (the father)
- Bonnie Hunt as Kate Baker, Tom’s wife (the mother)
- Piper Perabo as Nora Baker-McNulty, Tom & Kate’s daughter (1st child), Bud's wife and Tom's mother, 24 years old
- Jonathan Bennett as Bud McNulty, Nora’s husband and Tom’s father
- Tom Welling as Charlie Baker, Tom & Kate’s son (2nd child), 19 years old
- Hilary Duff as Lorraine Baker, Tom & Kate’s daughter (3rd child), 18 years old
- Kevin G. Schmidt as Henry Baker, Tom & Kate’s son (4th child), 15 years old
- Alyson Stoner as Sarah Baker, Tom & Kate’s daughter (5th child), 14 years old
- Jacob Smith as Jake Baker, Tom & Kate’s son (6th child), 13 years old
- Forrest Landis as Mark Baker, Tom & Kate’s son (7th child), 12 years old
- Liliana Mumy as Jessica Baker, Tom & Kate's twin daughter (8th child), Kim's fraternal twin, 10 years old
- Morgan York as Kim Baker, Tom & Kate's twin daughter (9th child), Jessica's fraternal twin, 10 years old
- Blake Woodruff as Mike Baker, Tom & Kate’s son (10th child), 9 years old
- Brent Kinsman as Kyle Baker, Tom & Kate's twin son (11th child), Nigel's identical twin, 8 years old
- Shane Kinsman as Nigel Baker, Tom & Kate's twin son (12th child), Kyle's identical twin, 8 years old
The Murtaughs []
- Eugene Levy as Jimmy Murtaugh
- Carmen Electra as Sarina Murtaugh, Jimmy’s 3rd wife
- Shawn Roberts as Calvin Murtaugh, Jimmy’s son and Sarina’s stepson (1st child)
- Jaime King as Anne Murtaugh, Jimmy’s daughter and Sarina’s stepdaughter (2nd child)
- Robbie Amell as Daniel Murtaugh, Jimmy’s son and Sarina’s stepson (3rd child)
- Melanie Tonello as Becky Murtaugh, Jimmy’s daughter and Sarina’s stepdaughter (4th child)
- Taylor Lautner as Eliot Murtaugh, Jimmy’s son and Sarina’s stepson (5th child)
- Courtney Fitzpatrick as Lisa Murtaugh, Jimmy’s daughter and Sarina’s stepdaughter (6th child) and Robin’s twin sister
- Madison Fitzpatrick as Robin Murtaugh, Jimmy’s daughter and Sarina’s stepdaughter (7th child) and Lisa’s twin sister
- Alexander Conti as Kenneth Murtaugh, Jimmy’s son and Sarina’s stepson (8th child)