Smart House
A grieving teenager’s attempt to turn a futuristic home assistant into the perfect mother creates a comic crisis of control, family, and artificial intelligence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- family movie night
- nostalgic disney viewing
What critics said
Critics and retrospective Disney Channel rankings widely regard the film as an unusually memorable and emotionally effective family science fiction comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ben programs PAT to act more like a wife and mother, transforming household automation into a substitute for an absent mother and potential stepmother.
Ben alters PAT to discourage his father’s remarriage, while his scheme reflects his resistance to family change after his mother’s death.
PAT begins as a computerized home assistant but her expanded programming lets her regulate the household and imitate parental authority.
The smart-home comedy repeatedly returns to Ben’s memories of his late mother, balancing technological playfulness with emotional mourning.
Films like Smart House, and why
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
family-friendly artificial intelligence comedy centered on domestic technology and emotional growth
Blank Check
child-oriented science fiction comedy combining a household technology premise with family reconciliation
Mrs. Doubtfire
warm coming-of-age family film about grief, parental relationships, and unconventional domestic support
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
teen-focused family science fiction with playful technology and a sincere emotional core
Movie Details
- Director
- LeVar Burton
- Release Date
- 1999-06-26
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (174)
Cast
- Katey Sagal
- Ryan Merriman
- Kevin Kilner
- Jessica Steen
- Katie Volding
- Emilio Borelli
- Paul Linke
- Jason Lansing
- Joshua Boyd
- Raquel Beaudene
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Smart House about?
- A grieving teenager’s attempt to turn a futuristic home assistant into the perfect mother creates a comic crisis of control, family, and artificial intelligence.
- What is Smart House like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Smart House as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Smart House violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Smart House.
- What did critics think of Smart House?
- Critics and retrospective Disney Channel rankings widely regard the film as an unusually memorable and emotionally effective family science fiction comedy.
- Which films are like Smart House?
- Films with a similar feel include The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Blank Check, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century.
- How long is Smart House?
- Smart House runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Smart House?
- In United States, Smart House streams on Disney Plus.
