One could spend an afternoon of entertainment on IMDb reading all the reviews below for this excrescence and guessing which ones were written by a) studio plants, b) friends of the Hanks family.<br /><br />This movie has "called-in favors" written all over it. Cronies of Tom Hanks, and anyone famous who owed him five bucks, from the looks of it, could have their debts forgiven if they appeared in this failed effort to launch son Colin Hanks film career. This is the tripe Hollywood produces when untalented people are told they are talented. To perversely underscore the movies unintended, super-amplified "danger of nepotism" message, it's directed by the son of Lawrence Kasdan.<br /><br />The big ending where Colin decides to bail on college (the motivation you were supposed to care about for the duration of the film!) might seem like a viable message to someone who owes his ability to get the lead role in a film to the influence of his famous parents. Instead of being poignant, the switcharoo is a self-critique delivered by Colin Hanks about the worthlessness of achievements you didn't actually earn. That conclusion might make an undeserving shill feel swell, but after an hour and a half of pained "drama-dy" it's the final indictment of the cluelessness of all involved.<br /><br />The genetic mix of Tom Hanks doughy average features superimposed over Mrs. Hanks horsey mandibles is the story of genetics struggling to appear photogenic. Colin Hanks has zero presence and his visual ordinariness is the constant reminder that he in no way deserves this tailor-made movie. No surprise that they chose to cover most of his face with oranges, on the poster. Maye you thought someone else was the star. As you watch this movie, keep in mind the throngs of talented unknowns, who might have deserved this much exposure.<br /><br />Does Catherine O'Hara ever know what the hell she is doing on film? (See her heinous perf in Home Fries, the actual worst movie ever made) Jack Black became an official sell-out with this movie.