House Arrest

Directed by Harry Winer, House Arrest is an oldie but a goodie! When I think of this movie, I think of my childhood, because it's not just a movie for kids, but about kids. It may appear on the surface to be a cheesy flick that puts a spin on the commonly-joked-about idea that parents ought to be grounded. The premise is the parents of the main character, Grover, are getting divorced; rather than let it happen, Grover and his little sister decide to lock them up in the basement to work out their problems. The theme presented by this is one often found in works of literature. Adults would think that such an act is naive, is merely a child's attempt to apply immature, childish resolutions to problems of the real world. But the message is that it is neither immature nor childish, as the parents (more kids hear about the idea and kidnap their parents, too) are the ones who behave immaturely and childishly. The kids take on the roles of parents in this wonderfully funny but layered film, illustrating to everyone that sometimes the world isn't unfixable, and grounding may just be a good way to confront one's problems. Any adults who read this review may think, Hey, I know what I'm doing. But the kids in this film show that they do, too, and perhaps give all kids in the real world the confidence they need to stand up and tell their parents to practice what they preach. Age is nothing but a number, and the charming wisdom of Grover will grab you and hold your attention throughout the movie and after, when the movie finishes and your life continues.

You...owe me a quarter.
Amanda :)