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Parents' Guide to

Seventeen Again

By Grace Montgomery, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Fantasy-comedy film starring Mowry siblings has sex talk.

Movie NR 2002 97 minutes
Seventeen Again Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

Anaortiz5
Anaortiz5 Adult
April 10, 2021
age 13+

Classic

This movie is a good movie.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In SEVENTEEN AGAIN, Cat (Hope Clarke) and Gene (Robert Hooks) are a bitterly divorced couple stuck watching their grandkids, Sydney (Tia Mowry) and Willie (Tahj Mowry), while the kids' parents go out of town for a few days. Their biggest challenge seems to be getting along, until budding scientist Willie accidentally exposes Cat and Gene to his latest formula, an anti-aging serum that turns them back into 17-year-olds. While Willie frantically tries to create an antidote, Sydney tries to keep her grandmother -- who now looks exactly like Sydney -- from stealing her crush. And the now-young Cat (Tamera Mowry) is trying hard to keep her eyes on Gene (Mark Taylor), who seems determined to become the most popular boy in high school. Will they find the antidote in time, before it causes serious damage to both their health and Sydney's high school reputation? And will Cat and Gene learn anything from this trip to their pasts?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This is another entry in the "adults becoming teenagers again" subgenre, and it doesn't add much to the canon. Though having the adults in Seventeen Again be grandparents rather than parents adds a slightly new twist, it lacks enough originality to warrant repeat viewings.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the popularity of movies about adults reliving their teen years. Why do you think this is such a common movie theme? How does Seventeen Again fare compared to similar films?

  • What lessons did Gene and Cat learn from being 17 again for a few days? Would they have learned these lessons if they didn't become teenagers again?

  • If you had a lab like Willie's, what would you want to invent?

Movie Details

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