"Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" offers pretty much everything you'd expect from a Nancy Drew film - there are a couple of intriguing mysteries that need solving, and an incredibly charming main character that needs to solve them. Yes, Sophia Lillis is perhaps the perfect casting choice as the titular Nancy Drew, oozing charm and charisma that elevates the subject matter and turns "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" into pure, popcorn fun.
Sophia Lillis' performance as Nancy Drew is really what kept me glued to the screen here - now, I may be biased because I have an affinity for her, but I truly found her irresistible in the role, consistently watchable and entertaining. She has such a playful nature about her, and simply put, it's really fun to watch her interact with the characters that make up this world. From school friends to new enemies, from law enforcement personnel to day-drinking employees, she has a definitive charming aurora that resonates throughout all of the conversations that she has and all of the actions that she takes.
From the way her mind works when pulling silly, revenge-fueled pranks to solving neighborhood mysteries, it's also a treat to watch Nancy's mind at play, and even more of a treat to watch Sophia's portrayal of the girl-genius. I'm having a difficult time putting into words exactly why her performance is so enjoyable, most likely because it's 1 a.m. as I'm writing this and I feel like I may start hallucinating from sleep deprivation, but just trust me when I say that Sophia really does make this movie a total blast to sit through, even though the movie as a whole isn't perfect.
While the mysteries brought up in the film are mildly intriguing, and while you will want to see them through to completion, the film itself does seem subpar when it comes to its overall presentation. The movie looks incredibly cheap, with overly bright lighting that makes it look more like a direct-to-TV feature than a major studio release. That being said, while the movie may look cheap, it doesn't necessarily feel cheap - it is competently handled, especially in its editing and performances, and you can tell that everyone's heart was in the right place; the movie was obviously made with passion from everyone involved.
While Sophia is the main attraction here, every character was charming enough to warrant an entertaining viewing experience. And while I didn't enjoy the childish high school squabbling that occasionally occurred, I understand that this is first and foremost a children's movie, and children will most likely be able to somewhat relate to that - it doesn't mean that I liked watching it, however. But, when the credits rolled, I couldn't deny that I had a fun 90-minutes. Sophia Lillis is a true joy to watch in this role, and the movie itself just has a really light, charming, and fun feel to it that never lets up or drops in tone. I had a smile on my face for practically the entire running time of the film, and I will certainly be putting this movie back on during rainy afternoons, or when I need cheered up.
Sophia Lillis' performance as Nancy Drew is really what kept me glued to the screen here - now, I may be biased because I have an affinity for her, but I truly found her irresistible in the role, consistently watchable and entertaining. She has such a playful nature about her, and simply put, it's really fun to watch her interact with the characters that make up this world. From school friends to new enemies, from law enforcement personnel to day-drinking employees, she has a definitive charming aurora that resonates throughout all of the conversations that she has and all of the actions that she takes.
From the way her mind works when pulling silly, revenge-fueled pranks to solving neighborhood mysteries, it's also a treat to watch Nancy's mind at play, and even more of a treat to watch Sophia's portrayal of the girl-genius. I'm having a difficult time putting into words exactly why her performance is so enjoyable, most likely because it's 1 a.m. as I'm writing this and I feel like I may start hallucinating from sleep deprivation, but just trust me when I say that Sophia really does make this movie a total blast to sit through, even though the movie as a whole isn't perfect.
While the mysteries brought up in the film are mildly intriguing, and while you will want to see them through to completion, the film itself does seem subpar when it comes to its overall presentation. The movie looks incredibly cheap, with overly bright lighting that makes it look more like a direct-to-TV feature than a major studio release. That being said, while the movie may look cheap, it doesn't necessarily feel cheap - it is competently handled, especially in its editing and performances, and you can tell that everyone's heart was in the right place; the movie was obviously made with passion from everyone involved.
While Sophia is the main attraction here, every character was charming enough to warrant an entertaining viewing experience. And while I didn't enjoy the childish high school squabbling that occasionally occurred, I understand that this is first and foremost a children's movie, and children will most likely be able to somewhat relate to that - it doesn't mean that I liked watching it, however. But, when the credits rolled, I couldn't deny that I had a fun 90-minutes. Sophia Lillis is a true joy to watch in this role, and the movie itself just has a really light, charming, and fun feel to it that never lets up or drops in tone. I had a smile on my face for practically the entire running time of the film, and I will certainly be putting this movie back on during rainy afternoons, or when I need cheered up.