Some films are pushed into the category of children’s movies just because the majority of the cast are just entering their teen years. In many cases this is a fair assessment but occasionally a film comes along that tells a story that even the adults who are viewing can understand and relate to. One such film is ‘Alice Upside Down’ by Sandy Tung. It may focus on a young girl of about eleven or twelve but the themes that are dealt with relate directly to the grown ups in the audience. While it is recommended for those who are eight to twelve years old this is one movie that will not bore the living daylights out of the accompanying parents around. The film is about loss, major changes in life and disruption of a familiar routine. No matter how old or young you are change is difficult to handle. The only potential difference is adults usually have more experience in the coping skills required. This movie is genuinely tender and appealing. Sure, it can be melodramatic more than a few times but just think back to when you were that age. Entering that period of your life called the teen years is by nature melodramatic. With so much going on a kid of that age never seems to be able to live in the grey areas; everything is polarized to stark blacks and whites. Considering the intensity of some of the subject matter it would be a good idea for parents to watch this with their children and have a little talk about things afterwards.

The screenplay was written but new comer Meghan Heritage. It was based on the wildly successful series of Alice books by author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. There are currently almost two dozen books in the main and prequel series. These have been popular, especially with preteen girls for the last two decades. I remember a few of them from when my own daughter was within the target audience. These books are fun to read but there is an underlying honesty with how the situations are handled. Naylor never talked down to her readers and perhaps this is one reason may a couple of generations have loved these books. The script by Ms Heritage retains the openness of the books and helps to bring a beloved character to life in a new media. The subject matter in this story would be difficult in a more adult movie. Alice, beautifully played by Alyson Stoner, has just lost here mother and now her father has uprooted her and her older brother to move to a suburb of Washington D.C. It may have been six years since her mother died but now that Alice is on the cusp of the teen years she needs that close female presence more than ever. Moving just makes matters worse for Alice. She has to find new friends and get used to a new school. Just as she needs stability and familiarity the most everything seems to have been ripped away. Alice finds solace in her rich imagination. Her fantasy world is far more interesting than reality but on many occasions such flights of fancy can get her into hot water.

Sandy Tung does a remarkable job of directing this film. She has a near perfect resume for taking on a film like this. Tung took on a troubled teen with ‘Across the Tracks’ then moving on to a few animal oriented movies. Two of these were in the Shiloh series. This is a set of children’s books about a beagle that were also written by Ms Naylor. There is a Disney like feel to the way the movie flows. Some may see this as a negative but here it is intended as highly complimentary statement. Disney has been doing this kind of film for generations so any film that looks and feels like one of theirs is a good thing. One reason for this may be the background of the young leading actress. Ms Stoner has been working for most of her life in films and television. Much of her time on the job has been in series like ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody’ which is one of Disney’s grooming shows for up0 coming new talent. Her film credits include both of the new "Cheaper by the Dozen’ flicks working ass part of a large ensemble cast. Tung takes this experience in her cast and redirects it to a blend of fantasy and real world problems that are part of this story.

The film opens with a pretty standard photo montage of Alice growing up; many featuring her late mother. The first we really see of Alice is in her bedroom. The room is bare; the bed stripped and she is looking out her familiar window for the last time before moving with her family. She is watching as her father, Ben (Luke Perry) load the last of the boxes into the truck. She breaks the forth wall and speaks directly to the audience about how her life is constantly being turned upside down. This is particularly effective with the kids in the audience. They can immediately bond with the character and relate to what she is feeling. Tung pulls in to a tight close up adding to the intimacy that is building with the viewers. Also going alone with the move is her seventeen year old brother, Lester (Lucas Grabeel). The death of their mother affected him but he has their dad and Alice really needs the guidance of a mother at this time. She opens up some to her father. One of the hardest things about moving is this was the home they shared with her mother; Alice feels as if she is leaving her behind. Adding to the sadness Alice is feeling is saying her last goodbyes to her friends.

As they begin to move into the new house some neighbors come over to welcome them; Sheila Price (Monica Parks) and her daughter Elizabeth (Parker McKenna Posey) who about the same age as Alice. One of Alice’s fantasies kicks in and instead of being dressed in her moving clothes she is dressed fabulously and Elizabeth remarks how beautiful she looks. Alice has the tendency to go into these daydreams when she is at a loss for words or ideas. Many of them revolve around having great clothing, something extremely important to a girl this age; actually this frequently is persistent throughout their lives. Alice is prone to doing things that embarrass her but can’t seem to help it. She goes to her new school and her main teacher is Mrs. Plotkin (Penny Marshall), a gruff and stern person. The male dominated family that Alice is now part of becomes painfully obvious quite frequently. While shopping for clothes her brother notes that nothing will fit and she has an odd shaped body. This is something any girl starting puberty wants to hear but Lester seems clueless. At least she slowly begins to become friends with Elizabeth. Over the course of the film there are so many of these little real moments that will resonate with the kids and bring back memories for the adults.

This is not an action adventure flick that will wow anyone watching. What you get here is a sensitive story of a typical young girl as she gets ready to leave childhood behind. Do yourself a favor and watch it with your children then be open to talk to them; don’t push them just let this movie inspire them to want to talk to you. Usually Anchor Bay / Starz is known for cutting edge films from the independent world. In this case they provide a film that is truly entertaining for the whole family.