Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- breezy
- cartoonish
- sincere
- family movie night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly found the screenplay, cartoonish humor, slapstick, and action-star vehicle tired and ineffective, though some acknowledged its appeal to children and grandparents.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bob Ho's central assignment turns espionage skills toward babysitting his girlfriend's three children.
Jackie Chan plays a former CIA spy whose combat-oriented identity clashes with childcare mishaps and cartoonish jokes.
The accidentally downloaded top-secret formula motivates the Russian terrorist's visit and the ensuing danger.
The story places Bob's protective mission and the children's resistance inside their mother's domestic environment.
Films like The Spy Next Door, and why
The Pacifier
family-friendly spy comedy combining babysitting chaos, slapstick action, and a reluctant caregiver protagonist
Kindergarten Cop
kid-centered domestic comedy built around an action hero protecting children from criminals
Agent Cody Banks
lighthearted spy adventure with comic set pieces, family appeal, and an overwhelmed covert operative
Movie Details
- Director
- Brian Levant
- Release Date
- 2010-01-15
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (1457)
Cast
- Jackie Chan
- Amber Valletta
- Madeline Carroll
- Will Shadley
- Alina Foley
- Magnús Scheving
- Billy Ray Cyrus
- George López
- Katherine Boecher
- Mia Stallard
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Angel Studios, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Spy Next Door about?
- A former CIA operative discovers that protecting three skeptical children may be harder than defeating an international nemesis.
- What is The Spy Next Door like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Spy Next Door as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Spy Next Door violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Spy Next Door as mild.
- What did critics think of The Spy Next Door?
- Critics broadly found the screenplay, cartoonish humor, slapstick, and action-star vehicle tired and ineffective, though some acknowledged its appeal to children and grandparents.
- Which films are like The Spy Next Door?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pacifier, Kindergarten Cop, and Agent Cody Banks.
- How long is The Spy Next Door?
- The Spy Next Door runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Spy Next Door?
- In United States, The Spy Next Door streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Angel Studios, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
