 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars
- Review Date: March 25, 2010
- NR
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2010
Common Sense Media says
Literary heroine learns about privacy, bullying in TV movie.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Harriet’s brand of spying often borders on voyeurism and crime, since she breaks into hotel rooms, steals, and uses electronic sound equipment and her camera phone to dig up dirt on a teen heartthrob she’s trying to defame. Though content like this is typically worrisome for kids and tweens, within the context of the movie it illustrates important points about privacy and the dangers of using the Internet (or other media) to bully or embarrass someone (since Harriet eventually learns from her mistakes). Similarly, Harriet’s troubles with peer pressure, family, and friends speak to the importance of communication and respect -- themes that young viewers will be hard-pressed to miss.
What's the story?
Harriet “The Spy” Welsch (Jennifer Stone) has big plans for this year’s class blog, but to get the coveted position, she has to beat out popularity queen Marion Hawthorne (Vanessa Morgan) in a month-long blog contest. Hoping to entice readers, she sets out to dig up dirt on Skander Hill (Wesley Morgan), the hunky, but self-absorbed star of her father’s new movie. As pressure mounts for her to deliver the goods, Harriet begins to bend her own moral rules as a writer, and things soon start to spiral out of control, costing her her two best friends and threatening her father’s job. Eventually Harriet must reassess her responsibilities as a writer -- and her own personal value system.
Is it any good?
HARRIET THE SPY: BLOG WARS gives Louise Fitzhugh’s long-loved literary character a fresh look for modern kids and tweens, and Harriet’s ensuing adventures won’t disappoint her new viewers. Even better than its sheer entertainment value is the movie’s masterful method of packing lots of positive messages about friendship, peer pressure, communication, family bonds, and privacy issues into the family-friendly plot.
While there’s no iffy content that necessarily rules it out for youngsters, the movie’s exploration of voyeurism and Internet bullying could easily be taken out of context since most of the movie shows Harriet riding a wave of popularity from her exploitation of Skander Hill. It’s only at the very end that her dishonest actions catch up with her and force her to reassess her actions, so it’s important to make sure kids and tweens grasp the dangers of this type of behavior.
What families can talk about
Families can discuss privacy issues. Why is privacy such a big deal? Do celebrities have less rights to privacy than average citizens because of their star status? Why or why not? Where can you expect privacy? In what situations do you expect to forfeit privacy?
What does “cyberbullying” mean? How has technology changed the nature of how we relate to each other? Do tools like blogs or social networking websites make it easier to pick on people? If so, how? How does freedom of speech interfere with people’s right to privacy?
Tweens: What do you want to be when you grow up? What special skills or knowledge will you need to do the job? How will you hone those skills? In what ways are you practicing them now?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Good for older kids
I watched this with my 6yr old when his brother was in bed already, he seemed to like the movie and thought it was pretty funny that the girl would hide behind the couch and dance around a music video set just to get information on some actor/model/musician guy for popularity. It concerns me that she basically did breaking and entering, lying, and stealing to achieve her goal of attention but she learned her lesson in the end.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I found a good free online website ,you can find it If you search the word of
ionlinemovie in Google Here is the website
*ionlinemovie*
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
harriet the spy wright the blog Skander Hill
i think the movie of Skander Hill is a good movie x
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
stupidest of all the stupid stuff there is.
this movie is just plain out stupid.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
kids only
great for little kids. this movie inspiers them to never give up and to role with the punches.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Good for young kids
Typical disney channel movie
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
November 12, 2010
AGE
-blah-
Dumb movie. Im very dissapointed with CSM for giving it a good rating. Jennifer Stone is a dumb actress anyway.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 10 years old
June 30, 2010
AGE
DUMBNESS
ONE WORD BORING!!!!! i wish there was a concern button that meant boring!!!!!!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
April 4, 2010
AGE
I think its a good movie
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Studio: | Vivendi |
| Director: | Ron Oliver |
| Cast: | Jennifer Stone, Vanessa Morgan, Wesley Morgan |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| DVD release date: | September 28, 2010 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
