Smart House

A cute little Disney feature. In fact, "cute" says it all; Kevin Kilner as the father is very cute indeed, and the romance between him and Jessica Steen (the creator of the Smart House in the title) is adorable. And the kids, of course, are very sweet. But the plot is achingly wheezy; even a couple of references to Kubrick's 2001 can't save it. The best thing about it is the ever-enjoyable Katey Sagal, who voices the Smart House and who never fails to entertain. The other actors - notwithstanding their adorability - seem to be sleepwalking through the script. This might be a good choice for a rainy afternoon and a houseful of kids - but it would be best to have a couple of other movies in your pocket at the same time.

Not sure why this got some hate although I'm glad some liked it. I enjoyed quite a bit as kid and now I'm 28 watching again, still appreciate it! A charming family moves into a Smart House that is more than they expected. I like the fantasy aspect and heartwarming kid vibe; definitely better than most said!

Nick Cooper (Kevin Kilner) is a widower trying to raise two children, Ryan and Katie. Ryan, who misses his real mother very much, has a head for computers. When a contest is announced for a family to win a computer controlled house, Ryan secretly enters his family. They win! Nick is a bit reluctant to make the move until he gets a look at the home's attractive designer, Sara. Deciding to give it a whirl, Nick, Ryan and Katie begin living in the "smart" house. What could go wrong? Plenty.

This movie falls into the realm of good, clean fun. The house "talks", with a voice brought to life by Katey Sagal; consider her a kinder, gentler "big brother". The children are charming and intriguing while the film contains a romance, which should please the adult viewers. Families searching for nice films for a wintery Saturday night at home should consider this one. It is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Hmmmm, why don't people seem to like this movie? I think it's one of the better made-for-Disney-Channel films in the last couple of years. After seeing how good Ryan Merriman was in Deep End, I was looking forward to Smart House and I wasn't disappointed. Hopefully, Ryan can do another Disney film in 2001.

It's not a bad movie. The story's interesting, the acting is alright. It's got a lot of things in it that are unrealistic, but that doesn't make it bad (I mean how realistic is The Wizard of Oz or Planet of the Apes) It's pretty good for a made for TV movie, I'd say. If it's on TV and you've got nothing better to do, I would recommend watching it.