Grant overacts throughout, overdoing the boyish charm as another New Man is born, and failing even to trip convincingly on his own trousers.

Columbus pulls every shallow emotional string he can find to give the film its pro-family feelgood conclusion and directs in so slapdash a way that its faults seem to be constantly magnified.

Any charm he might possess has been squeezed out by the Hollywood machine, and the little shots of Hugh rollerblading, or Hugh getting his ears pierced, are scarcely enough to create new endearments.

Dull, frenetic and forced, it's one of the unfunniest comedies of recent years.