Movie Review: Unaccompanied Minors

Overview

Unaccompanied Minors is a fun holiday comedy reminiscent of a modern day Home Alone. This movie is geared more toward "tweens," but has plenty of slapstick comedy that will keep younger kids interest as well. It has surprisingly little offensive language and few sexual innuendos.

In this kids-on-their-own film, a group of young teens find themselves stranded in an airport on Christmas Eve due to a huge blizzard. The rest of the film entails their adventure to escape the horrendous "Unaccompanied Minors Room" (and airport security) and create a Merry Christmas for themselves and the rest of those stranded at the airport.

Concerns

One of the few troublesome elements of the film was that of how those in authority were portrayed. As in many movies of this genre, most authority figures are portrayed as bumbling idiots and Unaccompanied Minors is no different. Also, the group of kids break a barrage of rules throughout the movie, although their rebellion is considered necessary for accomplishing their cause.

Teachable Themes

There are several teachable themes that run throughout the movie:

We've Got To Work As a Team!
Kids often have a hard time learning to work as a team, and the group of kids from Unaccompanied Minors was no different. Soon after they escape the Unaccompanied Minors room for the first time they find themselves bickering and fighting with each other. In the midst of the fighting Spencer speaks up and gives a speech about how they are going to have to work as a team if they are going to accomplish their mission. The rest of the group pauses from their arguments and starts laughing at his speech, but despite their laughter, they do begin working together as a team thereafter. This short scene could easily be used as part of a lesson on teamwork.

Being Responsible
At the beginning of the film, Spencer's mom gives him the responsibility of making sure his bratty little sister has a good Christmas. Though, often annoyed and embarrassed by her, he spends most of the movie trying to make sure her Christmas wishes are fulfilled. This can be a great lesson for kids in fulfilling their responsibility even when it is difficult. It could also be used to teach kids about treating others with kindness even when they don't deserve it.

The Importance of Family
Each of the kids in Unaccompanied Minors comes from some sort of broken home, and they struggle with this throughout the movie. In the end discover that they have become like family and that they may be the only family they will have this Christmas. Also, Spencer and Katherine's dad is seen overcoming all kinds of obstacles to reach his kids by Christmas.

Forgiveness
The unaccompanied minors eventually reconcile with the airport operations director, who had been chasing them the whole time. They even give him a gift and he shares about his own broken family, as forgiveness is granted from both sides.

Discussion Questions

I would not show this movie in its entirety in a children's ministry setting, but there are a few scenes that could easily be used as discussion starters. The questions below could jumpstart discussion at home or in a church setting.

• Why do you think Spencer went to such great lengths to make sure his sister had a good Christmas even after she had embarrassed him?
• How did the group of unaccompanied minors work as team? What special gifts/talents did each of them have? How did they use them?
• Is it ever right to rebel against authority? If so, when? Were Spencer and his friends right to rebel against Mr. Porter and the airport security? Why or why not?
• Why do you think Spencer gave Mr. Porter a gift after he had chased them the whole time? Have you ever done something nice for someone even though they had been mean to you?
• How would you feel if you were in the same situation as the unaccompanied minors? Would you be joyful and try and make the best of it or would you complain and be grumpy?