The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I know giving "17 Kids and Counting" a good review is rather silly, but I was sold on how adorable and smart some of the younger kids were especially Johannah Duggar! In the wake of the sex scandal involving Joshua Duggar and his younger sisters, I am not so kind. It scares me he got away with the molestation for so long and I am scared for his two daughters, Makynzie and Meredith because it is hard to rehabilitate a child molester and those kind of people do target their own children eventually. When Michelle Duggar said they don't allow the little girls to sit on older boys' laps, but they allow them to sit on daddy's lap, I thought, "Lady, fathers molest their daughters too!"

There's not the slightest bit of entertainment. Watched it all the way through expecting that at some point I might be able to justify a show like this one taking up space as entertaining 'programming'. Worse, it's on some days back to back in place of programming with some human interest or some interesting dialogue and characters. Nothing interesting happens. Why is a show like this even on TV? Is it because it's seen as'wholesome?'. Wow. Do TV's writers and scripters think everyone's forgotten about good programming? It's kinda scary, if like me, you once had good TV to watch. The 'family' shows of old were really good quality. Nothing like this nonstop boring awfulness. No comparison whatsoever. Sad sad.

I just have to laugh at some of these reviews bashing this family for "over populating the Earth" or "using the kids for money". Seriously? They were approached by the media. They were asked by TV news shows to do be on the show. Michelle and Jim Bob didn't go looking for it. So if you want to hold anyone responsible for making money off of the kids then blame TLC and the Today Show.The whole over populating the Earth thing is just ridiculous. These kids are adding to society in a positive way, and aren't just a an aspect of lack of birth control, or popping out another child to stay on Welfare. Here's a mother and father that are paying for their kids on their own. They don't take from the government like others do. They work. The older kids learn responsibility by helping to take care of the younger ones. It also helps to teach them and get them ready for when they are parents. If MORE parents did this then maybe we wouldn't have so many selfish, bratty, and generally pain in the butt kids in the country right now. If you'd actually watch the show it's mentioned several times by Michelle and/or Jim Bob how they take time with EACH child alone. The guys are very active and aren't "lazy males". Josh had his own business at a young age. The younger boys help out around the house. These kids help out as volunteers to help after tornado disasters all around the Southeast.For the review that it's a cult? Oh please... Just because you have a family that doesn't want to expose their children to the crap that is out in the USA today doesn't make them a cult. They reach out to others, don't judge, show kindness, help when they can, and are respectful, which is far more than what most people do that criticize them. These kids come across healthy, loving, kind, compassionate, and extremely intelligent. With the way kids act in public schools today, I don't blame Michelle and Jim Bob for home schooling. Teachers can't even discipline kids today, and parents aren't disciplining them either.This family is fine. I'd be much more concerned about the kids walking into their school shooting people, the teenagers having babies (did you bash the MTV show about teenage moms?) than the Duggars. imho

Ignore the dreadful, disgruntled comments here by people who don't share the Duggar family's faith. People these days seeking to please God and bring their children up with decent standards are bound to be a laughing stock now more and more people regard God as a 'sky fairy' rather than the Creator.Top marks to this family for everything they are trying to achieve by swimming against the current. It is inspirational to see a group of youngsters who are honest and decent - a huge contrast to the delinquent behaviour which has now become the norm amongst teenagers. Compare the faces of the Duggar children (and their friends) to the faces of many young people nowadays. You will see innocence and genuine happiness. This contrasts to the 'grab a quick pleasure fix' mentality among modern teens who are groping around in the dark, and end up screwed-up.For those seeking to put the Duggars down and suggesting that they need therapy, 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'. Just see the positivity in these young lives and how stable-minded they are. If only more folk could bring their children up in a Godly way, the world would be a better place!