Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Engaging but imperfect mystery may feel too familiar.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Max Winslow and the House of Secrets
What's the Story?
In MAX WINSLOW AND THE HOUSE OF SECRETS, billionaire tech genius/hometown hero Atticus Virtue (Chad Michael Murray) launches a Willy Wonka-like competition to win a tricked-out "smart" mansion run by an operating system called HAVEN. All of the students at Bentonville High hope to be selected. Maxine "Max" Winslow (Sydne Mikelle) doesn't expect she'll be picked, since nothing ever goes her way. But when she's one of five teens selected to participate in the challenge, it starts to feel like she and her competitors weren't picked at random, especially as HAVEN gets more malevolent the longer the kids are in the house.
Is It Any Good?
This curiosity of a smart-house-escape-room mystery will keep tweens on the edge of their seats, even if it's a little amateurish. Despite substantial evidence in the entertainment world that kids enjoy mysteries, few of them exist for this age group. Which is too bad, since kids like to figure things out. Still, even though Max Winslow and the House of Secrets allows kids' minds to work while they're sitting back, that doesn't mean everything quite adds up. Virtue may be a genius, but some of his challenges are lawsuits waiting to happen. Also, the whole setup -- including why these particular five kids were selected -- is pretty shaky. (If these are the "bad kids" of Bentonville High, can we all send our kids to school there?) And the way some of the games work feels less like advanced technology and more like a mind manipulation/Vanilla Sky situation.
Writer Jeff Wild's script seems like it must be an adaptation of a middle grade novel. It's not, but it might feel that way because the plot has a lot in common with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. And that's not the only "homage" in play: The house is reminiscent of Clue, and the characters are like modern takes on The Breakfast Club. Of course, it's less likely that today's tweens will know those films, so hopefully it will all feel new to them. Some parents may be distracted by the similarities to their old favorites, but kids will stay engaged and involved all the way to the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Max Winslow and the House of Secrets is saying about technology. What are tech's pros and cons for kids? In what ways can social media and video games help and hurt kids?
What is the film's message about bullying? Is it a learned behavior? What can you do if you encounter a bully?
How does Max demonstrate courage and humility? Conner is critiqued for lacking integrity. Do you agree?
One of the main characters has the last name "Virtue." What does "virtue" mean to you? What do you consider a virtue? How is this idea used in the film?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 29, 2020
- On DVD or streaming : May 29, 2020
- Cast : Chad Michael Murray , Sydne Mikelle , Tanner Buchanan
- Director : Sean Olson
- Studio : Tricoast Worldwide
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Humility
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : scary situations and peril, language and thematic content
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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