Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase

2019
PG
1h 29m

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

5.6K

YOUR RATING

Andrea Anders, Sophia Lillis, Zoe Renee, and Mackenzie Graham in Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019)

After the death of his wife, Carson Drew decides to leave Chicago behind and make a fresh start with his daughter in River Heights. But for 16-year-old Nancy Drew, life in a small town is mighty dull. She longs for excitement, adventure, and the chance to make a difference. Nancy gets that opportunity when she is asked to help solve the ghostly activity at the Twin Elms mansion. Can she help explain the creaking footsteps, exploding lightbulbs and the ominous creature? Is it the handiwork of high-school bully Derek Barnes? Or is it possible that the ghost of original owner Malcolm Colfax is back for revenge? Recruiting her best friends George and Bess, along with local "mean girl" Helen, Nancy Drew is on the case!

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Comedy Crime Drama Family Mystery

A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve a mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community.A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve a mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community.A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve a mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

5.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Trivia
Director Katt Shea said in an interview that a lot of Nancy Drew fans gave her flack over inserting the modern cyberbullying case in the beginning because it's a beloved book and they didn't want there to be anything different. She admitted she suspected there would be complaints while making the film, but did it anyway.

Goofs
Nancy's friend is seen programming, however she clearly types the letter "m" which doesn't appear in any of the written script. Also, there are other letters in the script that are clearly not typed by the user.

Quotes
[first lines]
[to three old men in a coffee shop]
George Fayne: Hey! Have you seen Nancy Drew?
Old Man in Coffee Shop: Nancy who?
George Fayne: [running away] Never mind, thanks!

Crazy credits
No person or entity associates with this film received payment or anything of value, or entered into any agreement, in connection with the depiction of tobacco products.

Connections
Referenced in Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Colin Farrell/Sophia Lillis (2019)

Soundtracks
More Than Just a Girl
Written by Emily Bear, Jessica Rotter, Sarah Margaret Huff and Berkay Birecikli
Performed by Emily Bear

User reviews81

Featured review

6/10

Trains ARE evil

Nancy Drew (Sophia Lillis) and her father Carson moved to the small town River Heights after the death of her mother. She is bitter at having left her friends in Chicago. She gets into trouble when she pranks annoying jock Derek who cyberbullied her friend Bess. She runs into Derek's girlfriend Helen Corning and her beloved aunt Flora (Linda Lavin). Flora's home has been haunted by ghosts from its past and nobody believes her except Nancy Drew. Meanwhile, Carson is fighting efforts to bring a train line into River Heights.

The story is a little old fashion that the hip scriptwriters have tried to update. The seams between the two do show. I wish they change train story. I can do without Nancy Drew riding a long skateboard or the truly ridiculous Derek. Can't he be a real villain rather than a silly one? It's like the movie is caught between a silly kiddie Disney channel movie and a grown up thriller. In addition, Nancy Drew needs a weapon; a stun gun or pepper spray. She's jumping into a scenario unarmed against a thug with a gun. It gets a bit too Home Alone for me to take seriously.

On the other hand, the girls have good chemistry. Sophia Lillis and Laura Wiggins are solid actors even if Laura is a tattooed 30 trying to pass for a young teen. It helps to have TV legend Linda Lavin. I like what she says about her best friend and the two girls coming together. The girls have the right attitude. The movie does have a few too many minor annoyances.