The Even Stevens Movie (2003) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 2002
Director: Sean McNamara
Cast: Christy Carlson Romano, Shia LaBeouf, Tim Meadows, Donna Pescow, Tom Virtue, Nick Spano, Steven Anthony Lawrence, Dave Coulier, Keone Young
Rating: G
Release Date: 13 June 2003
Running Time: 1 hour 33 minutes 50 seconds

The Movie Review

The Even Stevens Movie film still 1


THE EVEN STEVENS MOVIE
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

A neighbour of mine told me her family (with 2 little girls) was having great time watching Even Stevens sitcom. I didn't ask whether they watch it on TV or video. Next thing, they ask me to write a review about it, I replied that up until now Movielogy doesn't have any plan to cover TV series, so I told them I promised instead to cover The Even Stevens Movie. A movie made for TV, in this case Disney Channel, which of course based on Even Stevens TV series.

The Stevens family is a prominent family in Sacramento, California, the Father Steve (Tom Virtue) is a lawyer and the mother, Eileen (Donna Pescow) is a senator. The Stevens have three kids and each of them is going to spend their summer holiday on their own leaving Eileen and Steve feeling a bit sad. The oldest of them Donny (Nick Spano) is about to go to college and has his own agenda, and the sister, Renee (Christy Carlson Romano) is going on a date with her boyfriend and the younger brother, the troublemaker Louis (Shia LaBeouf) has successfully built his special summer-time lazy-boy chair. But suddenly a travel agent named Miles McDermott (Tim Meadows) comes to their house and offers once in a lifetime all-expense paid vacation to the Island of Mandelino. The Stevens were chosen because Miles wants to promote the Island and to quote the Steven's opinion of the Island. And so with the only objection coming from Louis, they immediately decides to go to Mandelino taking along Beans (Steven Anthony Lawrence) which Ren has promised his parents to baby-sit him.

The islanders of Mandelino is very welcoming people, they greet the Stevens like kings with all the food and services. However, the irrepressible Louis does something seriously wrong which eventually deprives all the Stevens family of the previous hospitality. They get to sleep on dirt and strive to find their own food with only Miles who visits them once in a while before the next plane arrives in 7 days to take them home. Could they survive? And how could their life be this miserable?

The following below is another plot of The Even Stevens Movie that may or may not spoil the secret even just a bit. Why would we bother, it's just a family movie, right? I know, and it's not even a suspense thriller, but still we consider every surprise counts.

-- Start of Spoiler Possibility Alert --
Initially the Stevens thinks they are invited by the Islanders of Mandelino with the help of Miles merely to promote the uncharted Island to the public. But soon the audience will learn it turns out that The Stevens are in a new reality show called Family Fakeout, where Miles himself is the host and all the Islanders are actors. Miles and the crew have their own base camp on the island and their show is to make the Stevens family miserable and becoming the laughing stock off all Sacramento. On the other hand, the Stevens are not aware of this fact and they just keep on humiliating themselves with all the cameras hidden everywhere are pointing at them which subsequently making them the new hottest reality show stars. What would they possibly do to survive on that island? And could the Stevens get Even?
-- End of Spoiler Possibility Alert -- The Even Stevens Movie film still 3

Watching The Even Stevens Movie require me to blunt most of a movie reviewer's senses, which means to overlook many things. Why? Because family movie should strive for one main thing... to amuse families! And this family film is a success in doing so. Actually with so many viewings of this film, it actually made me realize more flaws that this movie holds per each viewing. However, I was willing to overlook that. The Even Stevens Movie has great though cliché characters. Louis is the very common youngest child stereotype, and Ren is the perfect A-graders and Donny is the Brawl McMacho no brainer type. Still with good script they could deliver their own needed persona, and they've done it very well. Their characters blend well. No surprise though, they had been doing it for 3 years before in the Even Stevens TV series which ran from June 17th 2000 to June 2nd 2003.

I really enjoyed this movie, mainly from the intriguing storyline. The story flows nicely, it has the perfect pace with the scene after scene flows without being too fast or too slow and the movie is certainly filled with many interesting and funny scenes, some of them might seem very unnatural but they're sweet and occasionally touching. The combination of their miserable adventure looking for food, the usual clashes between Ren and Louis, the presence of Beans, Miles' never-ending "helps", the audience back at the pancake house which also alive with the presence of Coach Tugnut (Jim Wise) is just exciting. The Even Stevens Movie is a heartwarming comedy movie without making us shed shy tears. It entertains the audience and in the same time might make us value our family more without lecturing us.

The truth is, I've been watching this movie for dozens of time now. I'm not sure if I would want to see it as a teenager because the movie doesn't have anything shocking or strong. But if you're seeking for a good and valuable and entertaining comedy family movie, this one is the right one to pick. I really recommend this movie if you want to ease your mind or to see it with the rest of your family.