Parents' Guide to

Alice Upside Down

By Nancy Davis Kho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

New-girl story with appealing Disney cast.

Movie NR 2008 90 minutes
Alice Upside Down 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 3 parent reviews

JanvierRain
JanvierRain Adult
March 7, 2013
age 8+

Moments.

This movie had its moments- moments where I thought it was flowing really nicely, and becoming interesting, and then being with moments when I thought it was extremely cheesy and odd. It was slightly predictable, but it got its point across pretty well, I feel. If it weren't for Alyson Stoner staring in this movie- I probably wouldn't have watched it (I'm biased because she's Isabella...I mean, come on!) :P Anyway, it was slightly funny, and just a mediocre production that I'll probably forget about it two weeks.
MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
October 7, 2010
age 9+
Fans of Disney will recognize many of the people in the film. Fans of the book series might enjoy this movie version although the books were, I think, far better. The death of Alice's mother is a heavy topic throughout the movie.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In ALICE UPSIDE DOWN, 11-year-old Alice McKinley (Alyson Stoner) has a double challenge: to adjust to life as the new kid in school in Silver Spring, and to find a female role model who can help negotiate the mysteries of growing up in the absence of her deceased mom. Her father (Luke Perry) and brother Lester (Lucas Grabeel) are well-meaning but clueless about Alice's inner turmoil, which reaches a fever pitch as the curtain rises on the school play. Will Alice learn to value her true gifts instead of coveting the successes of her classmates?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (9):

The movie, based on the book The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, strikes the right note about the trials and tribulations of the middle school years. Girls from age 10 to 13 will relate not only to Alice's anxieties, but to her rich inner fantasy life in which she is rich, popular, beautiful, and favored by her teachers. It's nice to have a movie aimed at tweens where the pining is not for a cute boy, but for a friendly teacher.

The studio put together a cast sure to tap into Disney's audience, combining High School Musical's Grabeel with Camp Rock's Stoner. Both are appealing in their roles, and Grabeel gets a chance to sing again, albeit shirtless as part of his band's shtick. Alice's evolving relationship with her tough-as-nails teacher Mrs. Plotkin (Penny Marshall) rings true. Perry acquits himself nicely as the father dipping a toe in the dating waters again, though he doesn't quite seem old enough to have a teenaged son.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Alice's efforts to get assigned to a new classroom. Why is the choice of her teacher so important to her?

  • Discuss some of the events that Alice considers humiliating -- are they really so bad?

  • Have you ever had a teacher like Mrs. Plotkin, and was there anything you appreciated about her afterwards?

Movie Details

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