Summary of the Plot
We can now watch Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip on Disney+, which is a sequel, in a way, to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, released in 2014, based on a book by Judith Viorst with the same title.
The new movie centers on Alexander Garcia, an 11-year-old Latino boy who is the protagonist, and his life-altering fortune, which, at least in his mind, has always been terrible. You know how good luck doesn’t seem to last? In the movie, he discovers an ancient jade idol in the attic of his home. This must be good luck, right? It must be worth a fortune. Unfortunately, no. Alexander doesn’t check the item’s price, but does consult with his grandfather, who tells him the history of this idol.
According to the lore, the idol was acquired by Alexander’s grandfather’s grandfather, who had it in his possession for a while. It brought the guy good luck. But when failing to return it to the witches, he was cursed with terrible luck. After hearing the story, Alexander is understandably horrified, especially when he learns that he was named after this man. Is this idol the reason for his bad luck? He thinks so.
While on a family road trip to Mexico City, the movie follows Alexander as he attempts to get rid of the idol.
The Garcias encounter a string of misadventures, which Alexander assumes is a result of the curse. These comprise of a stinky skunk encounter, a near fatal river adventure, and most dangerously, an electrical fault in their RV which sends the onboard technology into a frenzy. Not to mention, they miss picking up grandma from the gas station on the way.
Are curses real?
Judging by the lack of scientific proof supporting the existence of curses, the answer is entirely based on personal perception. Some people do subscribe to the belief that witchcraft exists, along with binding spells that can tether one to misfortune. This parallels the film where Alexander believes his descendant was cursed when he tried to retrieve the idol without returning it to the witches.
As the film suggests, some characters hold beliefs in generational curses. Alexander believes his lack of luck may be inflicted upon him due to his ancestor’s misfortune.
I do not believe curses exist, though I judge no one for believing in them. In any case, if you feel cursed with an unfortunate destiny, it may be prudent to ask oneself: are you the reason for your bad luck? Despite all the mayhem that follows Alexander and his family, these misadventures are predominantly self-induced.
So does that mean if you leave someone behind at a gas station during a road trip, or if you find yourself immersed in a shallow river, you may be to blame for your lack of attentiveness? It’s worth thinking about. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ending summarized: Is the idol cursed?
Soledad, a Mexican city where the idol was said to originate from, is Alexander and his family’s final destination. He hopes that returning it to its original place will remove the curse he believes is placed on him.
Let’s examine this paragraph closely. After a conversation with the city’s Mayor, the family learns that the idol they have is a prop. As it turns out, the true idol was in Soledad all along. Everything they had was not a powerful relic but rather a worthless artefact.
What can we take from this? As we discussed previously, in this scenario, in my understanding, Alex’s belief that he was cursed was more of a problem of his mind. Yes, the family did experience some terrible, horrible, no good, very bad things on their road trip. But, like Alexander’s parents try to explain to him at the end of the film, bad things happen all of the time. That is just how life is sometimes.
The film ends on an upbeat note after the family comes together due to their trip. So, this is proof that often good things do happen as a result of the bad things we go through.
If you’re having a particularly bad day today, it may not be the cause of a jinx or misfortune that’s befallen you. It could simply be another turn on life’s rollercoaster, possibly in store for you just ahead.
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