Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- breezy
- mischievous
- family movie night
- nostalgic rewatch
What critics said
Critics broadly found Walter Matthau appealing but considered the film a bland, formulaic imitation of the Home Alone style.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dennis Mitchell tries to help, but his attempts drive Mr. Wilson crazy and generate the film’s central comic misunderstandings.
The Hughes Entertainment production translates the Dennis the Menace newspaper-comic world into an idealized neighborhood built for slapstick incidents.
Dennis attempts to be helpful even to Switchblade Sam, the thief who arrives in town, creating an unusual collision between childhood innocence and crime.
The plot centers on Dennis’s escalating antics with Mr. Wilson while his parents are away, following a recognizable family-comedy structure.
Films like Dennis the Menace, and why
Home Alone
Shared family comedy, child-centered mischief, slapstick set pieces, and a conflict between an energetic boy and exasperated adults.
The Little Rascals
Shared suburban family comedy, mischievous child protagonist, broad physical humor, and a warm holiday-adjacent emotional register.
Richie Rich
Shared comic-strip adaptation, eccentric child antics, neighborhood adults, and lighthearted slapstick aimed at families.
Movie Details
- Director
- Nick Castle
- Release Date
- 1993-06-09
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (1654)
Cast
- Walter Matthau
- Mason Gamble
- Joan Plowright
- Christopher Lloyd
- Lea Thompson
- Robert Stanton
- Amy Sakasitz
- Kellen Hathaway
- Paul Winfield
- Natasha Lyonne
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dennis the Menace about?
- An earnest, accident-prone boy turns babysitting his gruff neighbor into a chain of suburban disasters while an opportunistic thief enters the picture.
- What is Dennis the Menace like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dennis the Menace as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Dennis the Menace violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Dennis the Menace as mild.
- What did critics think of Dennis the Menace?
- Critics broadly found Walter Matthau appealing but considered the film a bland, formulaic imitation of the Home Alone style.
- Which films are like Dennis the Menace?
- Films with a similar feel include Home Alone, The Little Rascals, and Richie Rich.
- How long is Dennis the Menace?
- Dennis the Menace runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dennis the Menace?
- In United States, Dennis the Menace is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
