Parents' Guide to

Mr. Troop Mom

By Nancy Davis Kho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Made-for-Nickelodeon movie is so-so but fun for tweens.

Movie G 2009 84 minutes
Mr. Troop Mom Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 3 parent reviews

kristin1234
kristin1234 Parent of 8-year-old
February 5, 2014
age 12+

Mean girls

I'm watching this movie with three girls, ages 9, 8 and 6. They like it fine enough but I'm distressed by all the mean girl behavior, and we're only about halfway through. There are the mean mean girls, but also the good girls are mean back, hurling insults and demeaning comments. I don't think this is a good movie for girls to see.
migyeah
migyeah Adult
June 13, 2009
age 8+

^.^V

very good movie for the whole family, great moral lesson and very hilarious
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

As a made-for-Nickelodeon movie, MR. TROOP MOM is a comedy that pulls out the stops for laughs from its tween audience. Eddie Serrano (George Lopez) is the widowed dad of Naomi (Daniela Bobadilla), and his focus on work instead of family has let Naomi run the roost at home. A series of unfortunate events puts Eddie in charge of his daughter's four-person team at a multi-day mountain camp competition, "The Spring Classic." The ultra-competitive behavior of the other teams proves a formidable match, as Eddie doggedly tries to help his daughter's team win and to reassert a loving fatherly bond in the process.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (8):

Mr. Troop Mom won't win awards for breaking new ground in plot surprises. There's a rebellious daughter, a clique of "mean girls," an over-the-top drill sergeant of a camp director, and a make-or-break competition that requires the girls to overcome their differences and work together. The Serrano family dynamics include a manipulative daughter, a wholly inattentive dad, and a babysitter (Elizabeth Thai) ready to amp up any conflict that arises, and it's all chalked up to the missing maternal influence.

But as family fare goes, this is a decent film, with its message of figuring out the right problems to solve and finding ways to be family. Lopez is good as the hapless dad, but his funniest moments come when he is allowed to riff, as he does on his supposed love of camping. For all her rebelliousness, Naomi is a decent kid who has surrounded herself with a supportive group of friends. And while Jane Lynch nearly pops a vein as Ms. Hulka, the militaristic camp director, there's no one else who could have played the role as memorably.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how hard Naomi has to work to get her father's attention. Are there situations in which you think your parents could do more to get involved with your life? Would you want them to be as involved as Mr. Serrano becomes?

  • Were there any plot developments that surprised you?

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