Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Cute book adaptation has ghostly fears, childish taunts.

Movie NR 2022 61 minutes
Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go Movie Poster

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

DocRon
DocRon Parent of 5-year-old
January 10, 2023
age 5+

Enjoyable film for our 5yo and for us

We watched this episode with our 5yo granddaughter. The two leads are natural actors and very enjoyable. The story is a stretch but not totally ridiculous, allowing for the imagination of young people. There are many funny lines and gags. There were a few spooky scenes (imagined by the leads) but our granddaughter, who will often tell us that a movie “scares” her (and we turn it off) didn’t seem to be bothered at all. The film somewhat teaches the dangers of assuming and not telling adults what your plans are. The children’s circle of friends is diverse and interesting. My granddaughter says she wants to watch all of the films in the series and watch this episode again.

This title has:

Educational value
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Ivy (Keslee Blalock) and Bean (Madison Skye Validum) are convinced there are ghosts under their school in IVY + BEAN: THE GHOST THAT HAD TO GO. Ivy rounds up her classmates to carry out a spell to send the ghosts away, but in order to make it work, they'll need to get into the school at night and get around scary principal Mrs. Noble (Jane Lynch).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The formula for Netflix's adaptation of the bestselling book series becomes clearer in the second entry to the series, where the titular dynamic duo confront an adult baddie and get into trouble. Again. Jane Lynch plays the mean adult in Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go, and she does it with gusto, staring down her nose and dismissively sending the littles to detention. A funny scene has her trying on a pair from her beloved shoe collection and accidentally farting in the process.

The ghost plot feels like a pretense to get the gang together to embark on yet another imaginative adventure, this one involving circumventing parents, cutting a lock of hair from an enemy (big sister Nancy), and accidentally flooding the school bathroom. The girls are duly punished but stop to make a very sweet oath of friendship before they're sent to their rooms. The series captures childhood energy (like cartwheels across the school lawn) and ingenuity. It's good, innocent fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the Ivy + Bean films compare with the books, if you've read them. What surprised you? What can films do better than books, and vice versa?

  • How are Nancy and Bean different? How do they treat each other?

  • Do you think Bean and Ivy deserved the punishment they got? Why, or why not?

  • Do you believe in ghosts? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

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.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate