Princess Protection Program

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Sweet Disney tale has great messages about friendship.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie centers on two exemplary teen heroines who demonstrate that friendship, character, and self-confidence are the keys to true happiness. The content is wholesome and worry-free for families, and the movie's positive messages will resonate with kids and tweens, particularly girls. Two "mean girl" characters play tricks on the main characters, but in the end they're exposed as the self-absorbed people that they are.

  • Kids who watch will learn some important lessons about believing in yourself and others.
  • The movie is bursting with kid- and tween-friendly messages about self-respect, self-confidence, and good character.
  • Both Rosie and Carter are strong role models for tween girls. They learn lessons in friendship and realize the importance of looking past appearance to see who a person really is. The girls' catty nemeses play underhanded tricks to humiliate them in front of their peers (like sabotaging an attempt to hold down a job, for examle), but in the end their shallowness is exposed.
  • Rosie has to relocate because of a threat against her life, but there's nothing really scary.

What's the story?

Princess Rosalinda Marie Montoya Fiore (Demi Lovato) is one month away from her coronation as queen of her tiny island nation of Costa Luna when a political rival plots a takeover and threatens her life. Fortunately she's being watched out for by the top-secret Princess Protection Program, and special agent Joe Mason (Tom Verica) is able to whisk her away to the safety and anonymity of his home in rural Louisiana until the situation can be resolved. But Rosalinda's new living situation is fraught with perils of its own -- like Joe's daughter, Carter (Selena Gomez), who takes offense at playing hostess to the princess-in-hiding. Rosalinda (now under the alias "Rosie") certainly has a lot to learn about average teenage life, but the more she and Carter get to know each other, the more each realizes she has a lot to teach the other about true friendship and inner beauty.


Is it any good?

 

Leave it to Disney to improve upon the classic princess story with this charming tale that features not one but two admirable young heroines (Gomez and Lovato complement each other so well that it's impossible to say whether one steals the show from the other) and outdoes itself with positive content about integrity, friendship, and the true nature of inner beauty. PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM is a relatable modern-day fairy tale for tween girls learning to traverse the social minefield of peer relations.

In a surprising twist, the story skips the romantic subplot typical of many princess tales and opts instead for empowering messages of self-reliance for its young female viewers. Although much of the content revolves around a homecoming dance, the girls dismiss the popular guys' shallow attempts at getting their attention in favor of spending time with their true friends. Need more reasons to tune in? The movie is unencumbered by those pesky product tie-ins that plague many of its peers.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about the story’s themes of friendship and self-acceptance. How did Rosie and Carter help each other? How did their friendship evolve?

  • How was the girls' relationship impacted by each one’s instinct to judge the other based on appearance? Have you ever pre-judged someone incorrectly? How did you feel afterward?

  • Do you agree with the movie’s messages about inner beauty? Who in your life do you consider to have inner beauty? What do you admire about them?


This review of Princess Protection Program was written by
Kid, 10 years old
April 10, 2010
 
Amazing, Spectacular
Rosy is a definite role model. She is not a stuck up princess and she teaches Carder not to push people away just because they care how they look. She made Carder a princess and not just bait girl, Rosy opened the eyes of everyone around her. Amazing, Spectacular
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Kid, 8 years old
August 1, 2010
 
Good movie
I think the movie tells about true friendship.Plus making it princess related makes it fun!
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Kid, 8 years old
March 22, 2010
 
I have watched this movie and i like it. It is a really good movie. If you don't like the movie don't watch it.
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Parent of 4, 7, 8, and 10 year old
July 29, 2009
 
Nice message re friendship, some typical Disney stuff I don't like
My girls (7-10) enjoyed this movie. Nice message showing that a rich "royal" girl is not supposed to be just focused on shopping, beautiful clothes, hairstyles, fun, etc. but that as a princess she should be HELPING others. However, that message was hard to see in the early part of the film bc the princess is (nicely) acting like people around her are her servants, "excusing" them from her presence, expecting them to get/do things for her etc. As with most Disney movies, the teenage girls in the movie tend to be skimpily dressed. Low cut tops/dresses, tight clothing, miniskirts etc. But that is hard to get away from with most movies these days. The initial storyline itself is kinda of silly. The opening scene shows the princess with her parents in a royal courtyard of sorts, and the military leader goes on attack with a coupe whilst the princess is whisked away by trusted friend who is from the Princess Protection Program. I thought, why not take her mother, the Queen away too? (since the fate of her mother becomes important in a later decision). But then, this is Disney, this is fiction! Just not very realistic. Most of the movie does not focus on that aspect anyway, but rather focuses on how the trusted friend's teenage daughter relates with the Princess who comes to live with her. Some of the scenes are petty too, showing other teenage girls so caught up in their own looks/pretty girl status that they are quite hateful to the Princess & her friend. But then, that does echo what we see in real life sometimes. I didn't like a couple (brief) scenes showing boys fawning over certain girls, likewise with certain girls expecting some of the boys to do their bidding. The best part is the positive message of being kind & humble. The Princess ends up being a good role model for girls watching this film because she is never mean or spiteful (even her early expectations do not seem arrogant, just what she is used to), she is always kind, she is self-confident even when others try to make a fool of her, and not vengeful. She shows that she was brought up to be thoughtful & considerate.
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Teen, 13 years old
July 5, 2010
 
Typical Disney film, but not bad
Like most Disney Channel Original movies, the plot was predictable, but in some ways it was different. It's okay, but cute. Selena and Demi had good chemistry on-screen. I don't think parents have anything to worry about as far as content goes. There's no profanity, VERY little amont of sex (just kissing), and barley any violence (no blood/injuries shown).
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Kid, 11 years old
September 17, 2010
 
Chic flick!!
I like this movie alot it has a good story line. More of like a chic flick , but of course in every movie there is a mean girl. The girls are actally really mean so good and bad role models.
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Kid, 11 years old
January 23, 2011
 
I love the movie! This movie is all about the true meaning of friendship. It's also about helping people. An ordinary girl and a royal princess learn about friendship.
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Teen, 13 years old
August 21, 2010
 
Not the Best
This was one of the worst movies Disney has ever made! It was boring and had too much teen flirting and violence in the beginning. The way Carter treated Rosalinda in the beginning was also not a good role model for other kids. The mean bully girls were also another bad influence. Although the end became better at times it had a true meaning about friendship but overall there was no point and was truly a big waste of time.
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Adult
October 31, 2011
 
meh
I personally don't see the thrill in these crappy Disney films. They do nothing for me. Just another scam to get money off parents because a popular star is in it

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Kid, 12 years old
October 22, 2009
 
Prehaps..................................
Just another disney movie about fame money and the other crap. Please don't pull something this bad on disney. The old disney movies were good, the new ones just SUCK!

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This review of Princess Protection Program was written by
Topics:princesses and fairies
Studio:Walt Disney Pictures
Director:Allison Liddi-Brown
Cast:Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Tom Verica
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:89 minutes
Theatrical release date:June 26, 2009
DVD release date:June 30, 2009
MPAA rating:NR

This review of Princess Protection Program was written by
 

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