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Alice Upside Down
- Review Date: July 23, 2008
- NR
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
New-girl story with appealing Disney cast.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is about an 11-year-old girl whose mother died five years earlier trying to negotiate a new school and find the right role model. A cherished teacher must leave school for heart surgery, but recovers. The tween heroine suffers what she considers incredible social embarrassment, repeatedly.
What's the story?
In ALICE UPSIDE DOWN, 11-year-old Alice McKinley (Alyson Stoner) has a double challenge: to adjust to life as the new kid in school in Silver Spring, and to find a female role model who can help negotiate the mysteries of growing up in the absence of her deceased mom. Her father (Luke Perry) and brother Lester (Lucas Grabeel) are well-meaning but clueless about Alice's inner turmoil, which reaches a fever pitch as the curtain rises on the school play. Will Alice learn to value her true gifts instead of coveting the successes of her classmates?
Is it any good?
The movie, based on the book The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, strikes the right note about the trials and tribulations of the middle school years. Girls from age 10 to 13 will relate not only to Alice's anxieties, but to her rich inner fantasy life in which she is rich, popular, beautiful, and favored by her teachers. It's nice to have a movie aimed at tweens where the pining is not for a cute boy, but for a friendly teacher.
The studio put together a cast sure to tap into Disney's audience, combining High School Musical's Grabeel with Camp Rock's Stoner. Both are appealing in their roles, and Grabeel gets a chance to sing again, albeit shirtless as part of his band's shtick. Alice's evolving relationship with her tough-as-nails teacher Mrs. Plotkin (Penny Marshall) rings true. Perry acquits himself nicely as the father dipping a toe in the dating waters again, though he doesn't quite seem old enough to have a teenaged son.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Alice's efforts to get assigned to a new classroom. Why is the choice of her teacher so important to her?
Discuss some of the events that Alice considers humiliating -- are they really so bad?
Have you ever had a teacher like Mrs. Plotkin, and was there anything you appreciated about her afterwards?
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AGE
THEY RUINED THE BOOK!
This is the stupidest movie in the world! I have read the whole Alice series and this is nothing like it!! This is the worst adaptation from a book to a movie! Read the books! Don't watch the movie, it's nothing like it!!!
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AGE
Serious issues regarding death of parent -- not sleepover material
We chose this movie for a sleepover, not the best setting for watching it! I was unprepared for how heavily the movie deals with issues relating to Alice's mother's death 6 years ago. Issues are handled in an age-appropriate manner, but I was not expecting to encounter them. My daughter said "this is a sad movie" and snuggled with me much more than usual -- as she is 9, I guess I will take y snuggles when I get them ...
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AGE
Fans of Disney will recognize many of the people in the film. Fans of the book series might enjoy this movie version although the books were, I think, far better. The death of Alice's mother is a heavy topic throughout the movie.
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AGE
The only reason I added the extra star is because I LOVE the songs. When I watched it I kept on fast-forwarding it just so I could watch the auditon for the school play.
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AGE
Another Disney Movie
It's a fluffy disney star movie about a girl who has big dreams (: Okay for anyone eight and up, I didnt find much wrong with it at all!
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AGE
Great Movie!
The movie is great! Build-a-bears are heavily featured, though it was filmed in Saint Louis. Alice sets an overall good role model for girls as she overcomes some rough times and learns some important lessons.
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AGE
The movie was good, but the book was BETTER . . .
Although this movie was based on the series "Alice" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, I honestly thought the book was MUCH better. The movie was good of course, but I didn't enjoy it as much as a 14 year old then I would have reading the book again. The Disney cast was well known, but not who I "imagined" while reading the book, so that was kind of a let down. I'd definetly reccomend the books to anyone who has seen this movie, would like to see this movie, or thinks this movie could have had a "little bit more" in the way of plot line, because the book definetly makes up for it! I'd also reccomend the Alice pre-quels to anyone age 9 and up!
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Kid, 12 years old
February 22, 2011
AGE
Not bad
Nothing wrong with it! I Love it
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Kid, 12 years old
July 2, 2009
AGE
Why do you have to wait till you're 8 to see this?
This movie was...incredibly stupid. I'm not a big fan of any of the stars in it and it wasn't really funny as I expected it to be. Was this a Disney movie? One thing is that the parents share a 'passionate' kiss. Otherwise, this movie is totally appropriate.
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AGE
Good
Not the best movie, but interesting. I enjoyed, but i'm not picky. May appeal to little girls because of alyson stoner and Lucas grabeel. 9+ P.s wow, i just sounded a freakish amount like those brief kid reviewers on here whos reviews i hate to read. I will never do that again.
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| Studio: | Anchor Bay Entertainment |
| Director: | Sandy Tung |
| Cast: | Alyson Stoner, Lucas Grabeel, Luke Perry |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 25, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | July 28, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
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