Parents' Guide to

Nancy Drew

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Big-screen teen sleuth is cute, if a bit bland.

Movie PG 2007 99 minutes
Nancy Drew Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 15 parent reviews

Karen S.
Karen S. Parent of 8, 12 and 15-year-old
April 26, 2017
age 9+

Cute, simple, best for 11 and under crowd

I found nothing objectionable in this movie for my family; even the chase scene and bag guys threatening Nancy is played is a cartoon-ish way, with Nancy having the upper hand the whole time. The sets and costumes are a gorgeous blend of vintage and new. It's funny to see Nancy be a likable, adventurous and able to solve everything; that combination is not one we often see in goody-two-shoes characters, and it makes the character more special. The romance is sweet and mild, although the actor playing Ned is very stiff. However, some families may be bothered by the fact that the main mystery is all about a deceased movie star being an unwed mother who put her child up for adoption... and her daughter became a single mom as well. At the end, the adult daughter establishes a home for single mothers which is portrayed and generous and helpful. However, some families may not want to talk to their children about this topic, and it does came up several times in the movie. In addition, there is a funny fat kid character who is a bit of a movie stereotype, and Nancy's father is portrayed as unreasonable and insensitive to Nancy's talents and love for being a detective.
1 person found this helpful.
SF Family
SF Family Adult
May 12, 2015
age 12+

Not good to watch before bed

Based on the 8 year old rating that I saw from both parents and kids I rented it for our kids. This movie was too intense for our 9 and 11 year old.Even the next day my kids were commenting on the movie and upset about how scary it was. Nancy Drew being chased and threatened verbally and physically by adults was realistic and terrifying. The content was better suited for young teens and older.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
See all 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Nancy and her dad, Carson (Tate Donovan), leave their Midwestern hometown of River Heights for Los Angeles, where they stay in a mysterious mansion in which a beautiful Hollywood star named Dehlia Draycott (Laura Elena Harring) wound up dead. Nancy has promised her dad that, instead of sleuthing, she'll try to be "normal" -- if that's possible in 2007 for an 18-year-old who wears penny loafers and twin-sets to a Hollywood high school. But eventually she can't help herself, and she starts digging away at the circumstances surrounding Dehlia's death. With the aid of an obnoxious, adoring 12-year-old freshman named Corky (Josh Flitter), her low-tech detective kit, her signature blue roadster, and her cute-but-completely-uncharismatic (boy)friend Ned (Max Thieriot), Nancy has everything a girl needs to solve a 25-year-old mystery.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15):
Kids say (31):

Updated by director Andrew Fleming in the form of perky Emma Roberts, the likable Nancy Drew is equal parts goody-two-shoes and intuitive investigator. As the throwback "sleuth" (an anachronistic word in and of itself), Roberts is an excellent role model for obedience and good citizenship, but there's a certain oomph missing in this modernized take on the teen detective.

But the bigger puzzle is how Roberts -- who stars in her own Nickelodeon show, Unfabulous, and is Julia's niece -- doesn't make Nancy as vibrant and endearing as she was on the page. Sure, she's sweet, and she proves that girls don't need guys to save them from peril, but her adolescent Sherlock Holmes isn't engaging enough to merit another movie mystery.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes Nancy a good role model for tween and teen girls. How does she compare to other movie characters -- or real-life "role models" like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton?

  • Why did the other girls in the movie make fun of Nancy, and what made them change their mind?

Movie Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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