When Nick (Ice Cube, Barbershop) falls for single mother Suzanne (Nia Long, Big Momma's House), he initially doesn't have to worry about what her kids think of him because she just wants to "be friends." Undeterred by this statement- or his buddies, who dog him for loitering in the stalking-friend zone- Nick keeps hanging around. So when Suzanne finds herself in a jam and needs someone to escort her kids to meet her in Vancouver for New Year's Eve, Nick gladly opens the door for opportunity. Itcould be the best way to win her heart or the biggest mistake of his life. With more that one destination on his mind, Nick embarks on a road trip he'll never forget- and neither will you! Ice Cube has turned his frown upside down with the family-friendly screwball road movie Are We There Yet? We know the actor/rapper can use his trademark scowl to be funny (the and series), or to be mean ()--but can he use it to melt kids' hearts? That's the question Are We There Yet? answers with a resounding yes for youngsters in the audience (which will be the lions' share), but it'll probably be an emphatic shrug for the grownups. The contrived plot has Cube playing a wannabe-player (as in ladies' man) and ex-player (as in washed-up minor league baseball star) who now owns a sports memorabilia business. His partner, (Jay Mohr) is just a throwaway, as is the talented Nia Long, the single mom that Cube sets his blinged-out sights on. To try get in her good graces, he offers to transport her two bratty kids in his pride-and-joy Lincoln Navigator for a joy ride to a distant city where she's attending an emergency business meeting so they can have a New Year's Eve celebration together. This kiddies' version of and has its cute moments, but plenty more gross-out moments which will please the kids to no end, especially as the Navigator gets more and more trashed. Suffice it to say they all learn about each others' good sides and hearts are suitably melted all around--until after the credits roll, then you'll probably forget about the whole thing. --Ted Fry,