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Princess Protection Program

(2009, Rated NR, Family and kids, Starring Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Tom Verica)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 7.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Sweet Disney tale has great messages about friendship.

Themes in this movie include:   friendship

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Kids who watch will learn some important lessons about believing in yourself and others.
  • Messages:

    The movie is bursting with kid- and tween-friendly messages about self-respect, self-confidence, and good character.
  • Role models:

    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.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Rosie has to relocate because of a threat against her life, but there's nothing really scary.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Some mild flirting among teens.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Like everything Disney, the movie is being relentlessly marketed to tweens. But there's no product placement of note within the movie itself.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Princess Protection Program

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.

Read our full review by Emily Ashby

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • 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?

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Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Princess Protection Program?
  •  I think this movie is

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  •  Any concerns?

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See all 30 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Kid frindly movie that teaches something.

    Parents need to know that this Kid friendly movie is just like any other Princess movie and has good messages about friendship and self respect and learning about others and respecting and understanding others feelings and situations.Girls will love the duo`s freindship and and teamwork and courage. This movie is a great movie that i recommend for Kid girls ages 7-12.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Good movie for ages 8-13

    This was a good movie, there were no bad words at all, the only thing was that they attend a dance, and that girls are wearing strapless dresses..Other than that it's a great movie!

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Wyoming
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 2.0

    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!

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 3.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    PPP- Perfect for up to 13 yrs

    I thought this movie was great. I loved how they used Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato since they are like BFFs. It had a positive message and was great for kids.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 3.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Great role models and messages

    This movie is appropriate for kids to see, but after I saw it once, I didn't want to see it again. It just didn't have that spark in it to make me think that it was "an awesome movie". I'm not saying it was horrible. It is pretty good. The movie definitely demonstrates friendship and self-confidence. Princess Rosalina (a.k.a Rosie) doesn't care how she looks. She doesn't have to look stunning. She feels good about herself in every situation. Carter comes to learn that appearances don't really matter; it's what's on the inside that counts.

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 3.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Okay movie, sends a good message, good for kids, demi and selena do a good job

  7. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    feel good, cute, love demi and selena

    cute movie, for me it was a little young (obviously it was not made for 12 year olds) but certainly good. The girls are both pretty good actresses, they're cute and I love both of them, they're good role models and if you child watches this movie and wants to see more of Demi and Selena, check out Sonny With A Chance (not the best show I think) and Wizards of Waverly Place (adorable and funny) which are both age appropriate for 8+.

  8. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Postitive

    I think that this movie has two postitive and sweet celebs. They send postitive messages about friendship. The only thing I am iffy about is a bit of the violence. But other than that i rate it FINE!

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title iffy for age 4 and give it 3.0

    ok

    it was a good movie

  10. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    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.

  11. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 2.0

    a little young

    compared to other disney channel movies this one is definitly not my favorite. I think being twelve this movie is a little young!

  12. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Great!

    The girls become friends and the girls help eachother.

  13. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    This movie is all about friendship and trust. Two unlikely people become best of friends and work on their strengths and weaknesses.

  15. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 3.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    i like this movie its fine and it's appropriate for young viewers......

  16. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    i luv this movie!!!!!!!

    the message is very clear: Don't judge a book by it's cover. Carter and Rosie turn in to BFFs I love it!!!!

  17. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0

    princess protection program

    i loved this movie. it was super cool and had a great ending.

  18. I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    Princess NitWitProgram

    UGH. It is a movie no one should ever see!!!!!!

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 0.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    SURPRISE!!

    ha ha i hate Demi Lavato and am NOT a big fan of selena, but i was so borded and didn't want to go to sleep and this was the ONLY thing on T.V. so i was like, what the heck i'll watch it. Ok, wow!! I loved it. So weird, besides my hatred of the actresses, the movie was a feel good movie, a nice happy ending like all Disney films, and different, DIDN"T SEE THAT COMING!!

  20. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it 3.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    P.P.P movie

    Pretty good movie, teaches lots

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