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Of course, it's hard to mess things up when you're working with talented actors like these. Ben Stiller's career has been hit-and-miss recently, and this should be the hit he needs; it's his Elf in more ways than one, and, though he's no Will Ferrell, his familiar screen persona serves him well here. Robin Williams is suitably dignified as the charming President Roosevelt (incidentally, this film bears more than a slight resemblance to Williams' hit Jumanji). Steve Coogan is brilliantly absurd as a pint-sized Octavius. Ricky Gervaise is hysterical as the flustered, inarticulate museum director. And Owen Wilson, as an equally miniature cowboy, pretty much sticks to his usual schtick—in fact, he's basically reprising his role from Shanghai Noon—but he gets some of the film's funniest lines, and his laid-back demeanor always makes him a great foil for Stiller's hysteria.

With a T-Rex skeleton close behind, Larry runs for his life

Oh, and it doesn't hurt that they're all working from a script written by Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant, two of the masterminds behind TV's edgy comedy Reno 911!, who thankfully keep things reasonably clean and family-friendly without dipping into schmaltz or treacle. About the only caveats are one use of bad language and a scene of a monkey urinating on Larry's head.

Despite the almost incessant hilarity and inanities, there is a message amid the madness—the film actually has some wise and not-too-preachy things to say about perseverance, vision, dreams and responsibility. Ol' Teddy Roosevelt tells Larry on more than one occasion that not all men are born great—some have greatness thrust upon them. He exhorts Larry to strive for greatness rather than simply sit back and wait for it to find him. He affirms the importance of dreams and also responsibility.

And, of course, the importance of knowing your history. It's when Larry begins reading up the exhibits he's guarding that he begins to really get a handle on his situation, and, while this film in and of itself doesn't teach us too much about dinosaurs or famous explorers, it does an admirable job of making history—and knowledge in general—seem not just vibrant, but truly important. Here's hoping that families who spend a Night at the Museum might also end up spending a day at the museum.

1. Do you think Larry undergoes a change by the end of the film? Consider the advice he's given by Theodore Roosevelt, and contrast his actions in the museum with his lifestyle before landing his museum job.
2. What might the film tell us about perseverance? About hard work? About responsibility
3. The three old security guards exhort Larry to read up on his history. How might learning about history influence us in our lives? How does it influence Larry
4. What does the relationship between the cowboys and the Romans suggest about teamwork?

A Night at the Museum is rated PG for mild action, language, and brief rude humor. The "action" is all comedic, slapstick kinds of stuff, like a T-Rex banging around in the museum or Larry getting into a slapping fight with a monkey. There's nothing bloody here, though one or two scenes might be a little too squeamish or scary for the very young. There are a couple of potty jokes, most notably a scene of a monkey urinating on Larry's head. One swear word is used. There are also a couple of passing comments made about evolution, though they're mostly played for laughs.

Photos © Copyright 20th Century Fox

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