The Wonderful World of Disney (TV Series) The Growing Pains Movie (2000) User Reviews

Bad Production/Direction/Etc.

[sanclan · 5/10 · 20 July 2019]

Couldn't they get a better director and producer? This was by far a worse production than the original series episodes. The audio sounds like they are in a can all of the time with echos, they have to yell to be heard, there is so much background noise and music as compared to the original. It is good that the canned laughter is gone, though. Also, the camera angles are horrible, mostly low and pointing up. Hard to watch. I made it through, though, as I wanted to see how everything ended up and I love these characters.

Surprisingly Painless

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 28 May 2014]

Having missed this reunion movie when it first aired, I was happy to catch it on cable TV recently. I wasn't expecting much, having been disappointed by these types of things before (Facts of Life, anyone?). But I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable this was. The entire main cast is back, which is the most important thing. The plot has Maggie running for Congress and the whole family pitching in to help out. Now, I watched the show back when it first ran but I wouldn't call myself a die hard fan. I completely forget how it ended, for example.

Most of the characters are faring well eight years after the series. We learn Jason writes novels now. Maggie works as press secretary to a phony running for Congress when the movie starts but things change and she winds up running for office herself. Mike and Carol are big successes. Mike's a VP of some ad company. Carol is a corporate lawyer. Chrissy is in high school and is a bit of a free spirit. She was a later addition to the show so I'll forgive them not focusing on her much. Poor Ben is a loser but at least he's not trading sexual favors for Sudafed. In the beginning of the movie he's wearing the worst wig for some unknown reason but thankfully that doesn't last long. Ben's part of the story is probably where my memory of the show being murky hurts most. I don't recall Ben being this much of a loser on the show.

The cast does well recapturing their characters. The thing I was most surprised at was how into the whole thing all of the cast was. None of them looked sad to be there, even though the very fact they're doing a reunion movie is tantamount to waving the white flag and admitting their careers are in the toilet. Alan Thicke is especially fun. I was kind of shocked how much I enjoyed Kirk Cameron again. After the show ended he became a pretty humorless individual (at least in the public eye), so it was nice to see him playing Mike again in that same carefree way. Okay, yeah, he's got this ridiculously perfect family with a beautiful blonde wife who dresses all in pink...but still, I'll take what Mike I can get. I also loved seeing Tracey Gold with her Carol mannerisms. Made me feel like a kid again.

The tricky thing about doing reunions for sitcoms is that they almost always take the characters out of the familiar sitcom environment. On the one hand, they kinda have to. You can't have a laugh track in a TV movie. Not to mention the old sets are probably all gone now. But still, it makes the whole thing weird. Like seeing a friend from childhood all grown up for the first time. It's a pleasant experience but not quite the same as you remember it, you know?

Fun to watch

[TedMcGriff008 · 7 October 2002]

If you give a bad review of this reunion, the whole TV reunion wasn't meant for you in the first place. It's for previous fans of Growing Pains, who loved the show and had fond memories of it. It's just pure fun to watch them back together again, 8 years later. I did like the whole story line too. The only gripe is the Ben Seaver plothole which I guess they edited out a drinking problem, which makes everything in the movie make a heck of a lot more sense. But nonetheless, it's also fun just to tune it to see how they've all changed. And what about Chrissy!? They show this movie every now and again, so catch it if you're a Growing Pains fan.

My eyes, my eyes they're BURNING! Why oh why did they makes this!?

[PBXBear · 1/10 · 24 June 2001]

Oh it was so painful to watch this. No real plot, the children can't act as adults and everyone looked like they didn't want to be in this "movie". This was something that ABC did NOT need to make. Painful, so painful...I kept expecting it to get better and all it did was get worst. As I stated in my Summary. My eyes, my eyes, my eyes are burning! The pain, the pain. Not worth watching...worth passing on.

Family Ties Wanna-Be

[michaelschaubach · 3/10 · 23 May 2005]

I was excited when I saw that this was going to be on. And then when I watched it I died a thousand deaths. I'm glad everyone came back to do this movie though. I hate renunion shows where there is a cast member missing (i.e. Brady Bunch when Cindy didn't return). The scheming at the end of the film was horrible. I was waiting for the big surprise ending. Something cool. Something worth waiting around for. Nothing. The only good thing that came out of this for me was to see Tracy Gold and how healthy she looked. Considering she almost died I was glad to see her at a healthy weight. This made me think of a movie that needs to be made, Jason Bateman vs. Kirk Cameron. Jason Bateman would so win. He's way funnier and still acting. They could wear capes and have super powers. It's just a thought.

Grown Up For The Better! Kirk Cameron hits it big!

[JoshL007 · 7/10 · 5 November 2000]

The "Growing Pains" show was always full of fun. But made into a movie was more like a drama then a comedy. I must say the acting was ten times better, and once you watch the whole thing, you begin to like the seaver family. Although, you do miss the old house, and it seems a little too big for the Seaver family. It grows on you. I must say that Kirk Cameron has become a perfect actor, and seems that he now really knows how to act and isn't that "corny little kid" anymore. In fact, Kirk was the highlight of the movie. The plot was a little weak and could have been better...but all and all it was pretty good. If anything, maybe they should take another shot at it with another plot, because there was something I liked about it. Good...nice...funny...movie. It was pretty good! I would not be surprised if Hollywood grabed Kirk Cameron back for a few new movies...he has what it takes.

A big surprise!

[pettyfog · 8/10 · 6 November 2000]

Although Alan Thicke is an even bigger ham than I remember - he seems to have forgotten his role, acts like a talkshow host playing in local theatre - the BIG surprise, in this otherwise VERY predictable "FeelGood" is Tracey Gold.

Her off-screen problems seem to have given her a depth as an actress that shines through even in a hackneyed plot show as this.

Because this event will hopefully be a springboard for Gold into real roles, I give it an 8. Everyone else in the cast did a good but not exceptional, job.

The Seavers in the Real World

[aesgaard41 · 10/10 · 6 November 2000]

I wasn't sure about this movie when it started,but now I can say that I wished I had taped it because it was great! Mike is still the schemer,Maggie is still hot,Chrissy is now a babe herself,Jason is still hilarious and Ben is still my favorite, but Carol now looks and sounds like Linda Blair [she still looks great though]. Maggie decides to run for senator or something like that and her family supports her as only they can.This movie had all the nuance and charm of the original series.I could see it picked up again just to see the trials and tribulation of Mike and Carol as parents and Ben and Chrissy as an uncle and aunt.You need to see this movie just for Ben's junk mobile! Ten Stars for charming!

Show Me That Smile Again

[Tiger Hawk · 8/10 · 5 November 2000]

I admit I'm a bit biased in two ways, first I love TV reunion movies and second I loved Growing Pains. This was a pretty good TV movie and gave us a chance to see how our favorite characters have grown and in some cases stayed the same. While there aren't any really memorable moments, there were some great scenes and just seeing the whole gang together again was worth it.

The movie begins with a summary of where everyone is given humorously by Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke). Events quickly happen to gather the family together when Maggie Malone Seaver (Joanna Kearns) gets fired and when the family unites for the elder Seaver's anniversary, announces she's going to run against her former boss in the upcoming primary. Carol Seaver (Tracey Gold) falls in love with Maggie's former boss' campaign manager and everyone ends up fighting and eventually coming together.

All in all it was a good reunion movie with a few great moments. A must for fans of the original series. Oh and for those "fans" who only watched the show when Leonoardo DiCaprio was on, no he does not make an appearance. But Alan Thicke does have a line where he references the real life Leo, though not by name.

Good family movie.

[egbkid · 5 November 2000]

This is a fairly good movie. A good family film, but best if you already know the series. The continuing story of the Seaver family is worth watching, especially if you enjoyed the 80's series. I recommend it as a family movie, but there is a lot of things in it that may confuse a younger audience.

A Great Reunion Movie that made me Show my Smile Again!

[tennisfan446 · 10/10 · 30 December 2000]

This was a great reunion movie! As a big fan of the 80's TV Series, I really enjoyed the movie because it made it seem like no time had passed! I really enjoyed the plot, and I thought the acting was very good by Joanna Kerns, Tracey Gold, Kirk Cameron, and Jeremy Miller! The characters were much like I thought they would be! The movie did leave a lot of unanswered questions at the end which I hope means that there will be another reunion movie in the very near future! I want to know if Maggie won the election and how Carol's marriage goes! I found myself laughing quite a bit throughout the entire movie! I really enjoyed seeing the Seaver family altogether again! The Growing Pains Movie made me show my smile again! The movie was excellent overall! I wish the theme song could have been played at the beginning! Overall though I found this movie to be extremely worth the time! If you liked the TV series, you will love the movie! I loved seeing the Seavers all grown up! Growing Pains will always be #1 in my book! 10 stars for a super movie and the best family TV sitcom of all time in my opinion! Super fun for people of all ages!!!!!

Delivers what it promises

[Pickwick12 · 17 September 2003]

I liked this film. It is not my favorite film, nor do I think it will be anyone else's. I would only recommend it for fans of the show. It is definitely on a more serious note than the sitcom, but who wants to watch two hours of a genre that is usually dead after thirty minutes? In this kind of movie, something more is required. The cast does well, though the plot is very sentimental. But who cares? I watched this film to feel good, and feel good I did. Alan Thicke (Jason Seaver) was my favorite character on the show, and he did not disappoint me. Ben's plot is weird, and I defy anyone to figure it out, but that is the only really serious mistake. This is not the sort of movie I would pay to see, but it makes for nice Saturday afternoon nostalgia. It also seems that the children grew up the way they looked like they would, which is comforting. It may not be Oscar-worthy, but hey, it's better than the "Leave it to Beaver" movie! Watch it when it's on and remember the 80s!

Loved this reunion show

[betterbuddy · 10/10 · 18 July 2019]

This was a very interesting plot for a reunion movie. It was a great use of all these characters, and it was so neat to see the kids all grown up.

Awesome Reunion Show

[GaleWeathersRiley · 26 August 2003]

I love the Growing Pains Reunion Movie...I was also a big fan of the show growing up...it was great...I loved that Carol finally got her moment to shine...it was great to see her healthy and finally happy...Most of the people that did not like the movie didn't like the show...so why did you watch it???? I thought it was a great conclusion to the show...hey and maybe a sequel to it would not be a bad idea after all....

The Seavers Return

[cueball1089 · 7 July 2002]

The Seavers return Yes. I liked how Mike was doing Advertisements. I hated it when Jason was writing books. I am happy Mike married Kate. I liked the part when Ben was driving and got arrested. In the movie they should have had the theme song right after Jason said "Check Please. Give it to him." That is when they should have put the song. They didn't have it. This was the best movie ever. They need a sequel though. They should put it on Video and DVD.

Your basic sitcom reunion movie

[Cyprus386 · 6 November 2000]

The Seavers are back. Everyone, take cover. Mike and Kate have adopted needy children, Carol holds takeovers in her spare time, Benjamin runs a "business" and slacks off, and Chrissy was magically aged to seventeen. Maggie runs for Congress against the boss who fired her, and Alan rallies the family for the campaign. Most people are wondering what happened to Luke, that homeless kid the family took in. Well, he won't settle for television, made too much money for his own good in 1997 with a certain boat movie, and is the type who won't admit to doing a sitcom in his early days of stardom. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I suggest you find a rerun of the original series. Better yet, only a true fan of the original would completely love this one.

Grown Up and Painful...

[MovieAddict2016 · 12 July 2003]

I used to watch television's "Growing Pains." It was an awful little show, almost as bad as "Full House," but nevertheless fun to watch. But this TV reunion is just plain awful. I mean, it puts the "pain" in "painful." Kirk Cameron (now a Christian and part of the "Left Behind" series) is not as naughty as he was in the show; maybe because he is a Christian and feels it isn't right to show the old Kirk. Don't know, but he is different. TV legend Alan Thicke, who did the voice of a robot in "And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird!" is just about the only cast member worth watching, sadly. I believe the guy playing Ben is gay; he always seemed gay in the show and this movie shows the actor grown up (he's gotta be a homo). He is different from the old Ben, not worth watching.

Everyone is different, the gags are not there, we are left with a typical, sentimental, feel-good movie that doesn't make one feel as good as it does...well...in pain. Maybe it's just growing pains. But I think it's just pain.

the best is ready to begin!

[chickflick13 · 17 February 2001]

I admit it. I grew up watching Growing Pains, thought Kirk Cameron was THE cutest thing in the world, never missed an episode, and can tell you where I was the night Chrissy Seaver was born. I was a stereotypical Growing Pains lover who wept during the last episode and thought to myself, "Gee, they ought to have a reunion of some sort."

So I waited years. None came. Until one day I was watching television and flipped to The Wonderful World of Disney, where they were previewing next week's WWOD: "Next week on the Wonderful World of Disney..." and to my total happiness, it said: "Look who's all grown up: The Growing Pains Movie." Let me tell you, as an all grown up "kid" who still thinks of Kirk Cameron as the cute one he was back in 1985, I must have gone a little crazy.

And the reunion movie? I'll get to that in a second... it was great! Other than the magically 17 year old Chrissy (only giving it a reason to air in 2005, too!), I must say it was a great reunion movie. It showed me my smile again!

Could be worse...

[18 · 11 August 2001]

Interesting movie. I sat down to watch it frankly because I enjoy the reunion shows, even though most of them are painful to watch. This one had the characters to be just that. Most of the stars have minimal work since the end of the series. That, of course, is not saying too much because this series went off the air in 1992, and just 8 years later, there is a reunion movie. I just thought "Already?" when I saw previews of this.

Anyway, this stank of being a "We're out of work and need the money" move on the part of the actors, but was really a little better than that.

Somewhere, somehow there was a plot change in this movie that completely threw the storyline into the crapper. From what I understand, originally Ben Seaver(Jeremy Miller) was to have become an alcoholic. Throw that in and some things start making a whole lot more sense. Mike was incredibly upset that he wanted to take his kids, and later had an accident because he had the music up too loud? Ben "finds" himself at the end of the movie helping people? Throw the alcoholism storyline in and the whole thing makes alot more sense. Unfortunately, I imagine that Disney was behind the removal of this plot point, and the movie suffers because of it.

Lots of fun!

[Monika-5 · 15 December 2000]

Growing Pains was one of the many shows I watched as a young kid growing up in the 1980s. I love reunion movies but I didn't have much expectation for this one. I'm sorry I didn't tape it because I really enjoyed it! The political storyline may turn some viewers off, and the story is pretty farfetched overall, but that's pretty much the norm in any TV reunion movie. It was great to see Mike and Carol at each other's throats and to see Ben as a slacker dude (which we all knew he'd turn out to be). A lot of fun!

average, as expected

[mcfly-31 · 5 November 2000]

As with any reunion show, you usually tune in just for nostalgia sake, to see the cast back together and to see how they've changed. On that level, this tele-pic works, but as far as plot goes, expect the usual chaotic heavy handedness associated with sitcoms. But right there is one of the film's problems, it's a sitcom in movie form. Without that laugh track and no one customary setting (like when they lived in the house) things just seem out of place. It all concerns Kerns political race with her former boss, who sacks her in the opening. The rest of the family gathers to help her campaign back on Long Island, the family's former home. Everyone basically looks the same, with the exception of Johnson, who was 9 when the show ended in 92, and has turned into quite a looker. Thicke still has Jason down pat, Kerns and Gold have held up well, despite shorter haircuts, Cameron looks only slightly older as Mike and Miller still resembles Ben, though with a goatee and long locks, which are sheered early on. The only other return is Noble, Cameron's real life wife, also playing her here. I was hoping at least "Boner", Mike's dimwitted friend would pop up (pun intended, hehe) as one of the old guest stars, but no such luck. And that includes Decaprio, who some fans actually wondered about. Got a feeling he's just a wee bit too big to catch up with his old friends, the Seavers. The core of the film went mostly to Gold, as her would be romance dominates a lot of the time, which disappointed me, seeing how I always felt Cameron was the real star of the show during its original run. Only two or three chuckles through the whole thing, with an expected finale, some of which is too dopey for words. Look out for the in-your-face direction as well, as Metter, who years ago helmed real movies like "Back to School", to only three years later be calling the shots on "Police Academy 7", loves to use tight shots too much. The cast is right up in your eyes most of the time, giving you a crowded kind of feeling. And forget about going down memory lane, as there is no return trip to the old Burbank studio set for some much needed sentiment. Odd that they decided to bring them back together after 8 years instead of 10. I assume its because of the popularity of the reruns on the Disney Channel, which of course is owned by ABC. A stroke of marketing genius for Disney, who ran a marathon of old episodes on the Disney Channel right up until airtime of the movie over on the mother ship, ABC. It all came out ok, but nothing special. Maybe better results on the next reunion?

An excellent reunion of a great series.

[soccrstr6 · 5 November 2000]

When I saw the preview for this movie, I thought it would just be another reunion movie from an 80's television show. But when I saw this movie, I was greatly surprised. It was a great reunion of the Seaver Family. All of the original cast were great in their roles, and the plot in which Maggie runs for Congress was great. This was a great movie.

IF YOU LIKED THE SERIES...

[movie_man · 6 November 2000]

If you liked the series Growing Pains you will enjoy this movie. You will be surprised to see how Chrissy turned out, if you didn't like or didn't watch the series then don't bother watching this movie. If you did like this series then this movie will be worth 2 hours of your time.