Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Horrible, tedious family movie has potty humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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6 Children & 1 Grandfather
What's the Story?
In 6 CHILDREN & 1 GRANDFATHER, Shawn McDoll (John Savage) is an aging playboy millionaire who seems to relish being stingy with his friends and docking the pay of his butler and maid over minor infractions. But his life changes when he learns that he is to receive an "inheritance." Believing it to be either more money or sports cars to add to his collection, McDoll cannot believe his good fortune. His mood sours, however, when he learns that what he has inherited is responsibility for taking care of his six tween and teen grandchildren. These grandchildren are precocious and mischievous, and McDoll, at first, is annoyed by their presence and the way in which they're interfering with his lifestyle. Meanwhile, McDoll's butler, Jean Pierre, tired of being taken advantage of by McDoll, is trying to trick McDoll into signing a contract that would give Jean Pierre a sizable amount of McDoll's net worth. McDoll, with the help of his six grandchildren, must learn to understand what is truly important in this life.
Is It Any Good?
In every sense, this is a bad, bad, bad movie. While the lead character is supposed to be Scottish, he grows to sound more and more like a New Yorker as 6 Children & 1 Grandfather plods on. In fact, this movie is a menagerie of fake accents. Scenes plod on with no entertainment value or overall purpose, and the actors read their lines like dazed prisoners of war. The attempts at humor are beyond trite, if not outright excruciating, and none of the six grandchildren stand out from each other or emerge as remotely likable.
There's really nothing redeeming about this movie. It's not even "so bad, it's good." Even the word "assistant" is repeatedly misspelled in the closing credits. There are so many better kids' movies with similar stories and themes out there. Literally, all of them.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the many issues with 6 Children & 1 Grandfather. What makes it so bad? Is there anything redeeming?
Can a movie be bad and still be entertaining? What are some examples of movies that are "so bad, they're good"?
How is this movie similar to other films about families? How is it different?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 1, 2018
- Cast : John Savage , Burt Young
- Director : Yann Thomas
- Studio : ITN Distribution
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 7, 2019
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