Oh je, du Fröhliche!

I had the misfortune of catching 'Grounded' the other day and found it to be a rather pointless little film not worth the ninety minutes or so it takes to view it, and I'm usually lenient on Christmas films. The film revolves around five kids of divorced parents, aged between twelve and fifteen, who are travelling alone before Christmas to visit their other parent. When the airport in snowed in, they go on a rampage with predictable 'Home Alone'-style tricks and out-smarting of airport staff.

I can't complain too much about the acting of the kids. It's nothing special but neither are they terrible, although it is only Tyler James Williams (better known as Chris, from the TV show 'Everybody Hates Chris') who stands out for his expressive ways and wide-eyed sweetness. The adult cast are forgettable since they barely make much of an appearance other than the brief scenes where they come across as inept losers in face of the kids' antics.

'Grounded' fails, largely, because the five kids are far too old to be carrying on like the eight-year-olds they are depicted as nor is there much of a point to their unruly behaviour. They were locked up because they acted like brats and don't deserve to be portrayed as heroes we should all hail. At least, in 'Home Alone', Kevin was not only just eight but he was justified in his tricks because he was defending his home. The toilet humour and the dumbed down show of kids outsmarting big, stupid adults only added to why this film is aimed at undiscerning youngsters under the age of ten. What didn't help elevate the film was the way it portrayed divorced kids as being 'special' and somehow less well-off than children of married parents when there are many well-adjusted kids of divorced parents out there who would be offended by this idea.

This film is pointless for anyone who's seen 'Home Alone', a superior Christmassy film about a kid trumping the adults. I can't see many folk past primary school-age who will find much interest in it.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS & SPECIALS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

In this holiday comedy, five kids have just been snowed in at a Midwest airport on Christmas Eve -- and there isn't a parent in sight! Now, Unaccompanied Minors Spencer (Dyllan Christopher), rich- girl Grace (Gina Mantegna), tomboy Donna (Quinn Shephard), geek boy Charlie (Tyler James Williams) and bashful Beef (Brett Kelly) must try to outwit a disgruntled airport official (Lewis Black--"The Daily Show") in a last-ditch effort to reunite with their families. With the help of a reluctant flight attendant (Wilmer Valderrama-- "That '70s Show"), these kids are out to prove that holidays are not about where you are, but who you're with.

Now this film runs 90 minutes and its never boring. Very far fetched at times but it also has some very funny scenes. Not a great movie but not a bad movie.

If your looking something with a 1970's "Disney" vibe then watch this.

Plot Summary: Due to a weather storm, an airport gets shut down on Christmas Eve/Christmas, stranding everyone there. All the kids get tossed into a room when our main character kids decide to bust out, leaving trouble in their wake. As punishment, they're isolated yet manage to escape several times in an attempt to bring Christmas to others, among other things.

Review: The acting is a bit lacking at points, and its full of clichés and overused schticks, but it still turned out alright. Quite honestly, I was bored out of my mind the first 15-20 minutes, which felt like half the movie should have been over already. But it really turned around past that. Its got a lot of slapstick comedy and should be enjoyable for the family, providing laughs and a pretty feel-good ending.

Overall: OK, so this movie's not gonna win any awards. But I didn't see why it's rated so low here. Maybe once the DVD hits shelves, people will realize its not all that bad of a movie. No one was expecting the "Citizen Kane" of kids movies here, so if you just want to see some funny stuff and have some laughs, you might actually be satisfied with the movie "Unaccompanied Minors."

Well, I do give it a medium rating...not bad and not good, but if adults park their brains outside the theater before going in, they'll find it fun. Sure, you have to overlook the way the kids are smarter than the adults and the fact that firstly the security guards aren't bright enough to be working airport security and even so aren't villains but just guys trying to do their jobs. Anyway, the acting is good and the script isn't bad if you don't think too hard about it. The movie is after all targeted for a junior high level audience, but the filmmakers are skillful enough to make it enjoyable for older viewers. Sure it's a reworking and multiplication of the Home Alone theme and Christmas setting. As other reviewers mentioned, there are echos also of The Breakfast Club and The Terminal. However, it's fluffy, harmless fun and there are worse movies out there right now. BTW, how did this get down to #2 on the worst list when Deck The Halls which isn't half as good is out there?

I just watched this movie and I really don't understand why people think this is a horrible movie. It's a good movie, I really enjoyed it! Sure, there isn't some complex plot with several twists; it's just a relaxed ride, a feel good movie. It's un-complex. As un-complex as children ARE. You remember how good live was when you were young? No worries (well, for most people that's true anyway ;). The things the kids in this movie do are things that you CAN only do when you are still young: the adults are going to forgive you. They are doing things that no adult could ever get away with, but that is exactly why it made me feel good: you just know that there won't be consequences; it's just pure adventure and fun.

I see a lot of B-movies lately; were the acting is REALLY REALLY bad. The kind of movies that I turn off half way, disgusted that I wasted my time with it. Imho, THAT are the kind of movies that should fill up the bottom 250 on IMDb. The acting in this movie however, is good! The kids put down some professional acting (not perfect, but in most cases that is totally to blame on the director-- the movie doesn't need it either, this isn't a "The Good Son (1993)") and the adults act as adults typically act in kids movies, nothing that annoyed me.

I think that any adult can enjoy this movie, if they keep an open mind, like children and still are enough of a kid in their heart to remember how (good) it was in their childhood.

Don't expect anything deep - just sit back and allow yourself to enjoy a while without worries.