Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip is an American family road comedy film based on the best-selling children’s book by Judith Viorst. It is a spiritual sequel and reboot to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Synopsis[]
11-year-old Alexander Garcia thinks he has the worst luck in the world, and when his family-dad Frank, mom Val, grandma Lidia, and sister Mia head out for a road trip to the desert parks of Mexico, he's pretty sure that, statistically speaking, disaster waits around every corner. His feeling is only exacerbated when he learns to his shock that his great-grandfather, Alejandro Garcia, whom he was named after, was cursed, and burned down the very town of which he was the mayor, but through many of Alexander's worst fears-and some he couldn't even have imagined-come true on this trip, the Garcia family also learns valuable lessons about resilience, heritage and the simple joys of nature and family-which makes Alexander understand that maybe he's not cursed after all...
Plot[]
Alexander Garcia is convinced that his family is cursed due to his constant accident prone incidents that he may or may not have caused. He lives with his older sister Mia, who is waiting to get asked out to prom, mother Val, who is a travel journalist, father Frank, whose restaurant is getting shut down (unbeknownst to the family), and grandmother Lidia, Frank's mother. They are visited by Grandpa Gil, Val's father, who has come to watch over their dog Clyde while the family goes on a road trip paid for by Val's magazine. While rummaging through the attic, Alexander finds an old Mexican idol. Gil reveals that his grandfather Alejandro was gifted the idol by brujas to help him become wealthy through his farm. Because he didn't return it, a fire broke out that burned the town of Soledad down. Frank resolves to toss the idol away to put Alexander's mind at ease.
The next day, the family goes on their trip via a large green state-of-the-art travel RV. Things seem fine at first, until Alexander spills soda onto one of the mechanisms. Panicking, he tries to fix it, only to cause the RV to go haywire. They crash into a large alien statue that damages the front of the van. Gil, who was talking to Val over the phone, hears the commotion and resolves to leave the dog with neighbors while he goes after his family. The Garcias are forced to stop by a car rental place where a botánica is next door. Alexander and Mia find that the idol has been packed along with their things and take it to the owner Claudio, who confirms that it is cursed and that they need to take it back to Soledad.
The Garcias rent a rundown travel van where they encounter the next problem: a wild skunk that sprays everyone. The family escape and let the skunk out before making an emergency stop at a gas station. They get a change of clothes and leave, but realize that they forgot Lidia who stopped to get a popsicle. The Garcias turn around, but are sidetracked by cows, forcing them to go off road. They happen upon a "ravine", but the van gets caught in it and are washed away, forcing the Garcias to swim to land, but leave the idol behind. Frank and Val get into an argument where Alexander reveals that Frank is losing the restaurant and that they constantly ignore him and his warnings. They soon encounter a woman named Lupe, whom only Alexander can speak to in Spanish, who takes them back home to her husband Chavo, revealing to the Garcias that they are in Mexico.
After encountering Claudio and learning of his family's whereabouts, Gil runs into a stranded Lidia and rescues her, though the two of them bicker about their respective views of Mexican culture. While taking a break, Gil reveals that he has never actually been to Mexico because he was unable to get a passport at the time. By then, his wife had passed and he has regretted it ever since. The two become closer.
Chavo and Lupe give the Garcias a rundown ice cream truck which they use to continue their journey. While digging through the back, Mia and Alexander discover the idol. The ice cream truck rolls down the hill and lands in a ditch before exploding, leaving the idol unharmed. Now totally convinced of the idol's power, the Garcias resolve to return the idol after seeing a sign showing that Soledad is nearby. The family arrives and are reunited with Gil and Lidia before coming to a museum. They learn from the mayor and curators (who resemble the brujas) that a fire did burn Soledad, but in the process the people found water. Not only that, but the town already has the real idol and the one that the Garcias had this whole time was a prop. Alexander is upset over the fact that their journey was for nothing, but his parents tell him that bad days happen all the time and due to his preparedness, they are still alive.
The Garcias happily decide to celebrate together in Soledad and embrace their future together. Gil and Lidia's relationship improves, Mia calls the boy she likes to prom, and Val reveals that she knows what her new book, which she previously mentioned that she wanted to write, will be about.
In a post-credits scene, Claudio continues to burn incense at his botánica to rid itself of the, now non-existent, curse.
Cast[]
- Eva Longoria as Val Garcia
- Cheech Marin as Gil Morales
- Thom Nemer as Alexander Garcia
- Jesse Garcia as Frank Garcia
- Paulina Chávez as Mia Garcia
- Rose Portillo as Lidia Garcia
- Tiffany Vi as Cassie
- Alexander Alayon Jr. as Alejandro Garcia
- Michelle Buteau as Missy McGill
- Carl Severing as Neighbor Joel
- Angela Wilson as Neighbor Cassandra
- Harvey Guillén as Claudio
- Mabel Cadena as Lupe
- Cristo Fernández as Chavo
- Jacqueline Torres as Mayor Menéndez / Bruja
- Alicia Lueras Maldonado as Curator Ponce / Bruja
- Amy Puente as Curator #2 / Bruja
Production[]
On October 4, 2022, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Disney+ was developing a remake of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with Eva Longoria and George Lopez cast in the film.[1] In April 2023, Lopez dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced with Cheech Marin & Alexander Alayon Jr. [2][3]
On March 2024, the title was changed to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip, remarketing it as a reboot.[4]
Trivia[]
- Jesse Garcia, who portrays Frank Garcia, also appeared in the original Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day as Dwayne.
- Jesse Garcia previously starred in Flamin' Hot, which was directed by Eva Longoria.
- Cheech Marin saying, "Que pasa, Mufasa", is a nod to a character named Banzai from The Lion King.
Video[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Eva Longoria, George Lopez to Star in New ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day’ Movie (Exclusive)
- ↑ George Lopez Exits New ‘Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day’ Movie
- ↑ Cheech Marin Joins New ‘Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day’ Movie In Recasting
- ↑ Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day | Reboot title has appeared online
