The Slumber Party takes inspiration from The Hangover, as well as classic coming of age films, to deliver a super fun movie that teens and tweens will love.
There is no doubt that The Slumber Party is heavily inspired by The Hangover, however don’t worry, it is still a movie for tweens, teens, and families. It never pushes things too far that they become uncomfortable and awkward for parents to watch with their kids. Instead we get a fun coming of age story filled with hilarious adventures and a heartwarming story about friends.
Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The Slumber Party would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.
It focuses on a group of teen girls who had a wild night at a sleepover that they cannot seem to remember. There were no drugs or alcohol involved — they were hypnotized. When they wake up, one of their friends is missing and they are forced to retrace their steps to find her.
Each of the girls brings something to the table. The story focuses mainly only Megan, played by the very talented Darby Camp, who has a crush on a boy and is always afraid to try new things. This night however, she lets loose and allows herself to really open up. The lesson that is taught to those watching is about coming out of your shell and being willing to explore.
Darby steals the show in The Slumber Party as her comedic timing is perfect. It is hard not to immediately love her and root for her. Everyone has a little bit of Megan inside of them, and seeing her embrace stepping out of her shell is inspiring.
The movie works so well because this girls really feel like best friends. You never question that they care about each other. Teen and tween female friendships are always complicated. You have your ride or dies, but they are also the ones that you feel the most comfortable telling them like it is, and being brutally honest with one another. That is how these girls interact with one another.
For fear of ruining the movie, I don’t want to go into too much detail about the adventures, but just know they include a shaved off eyebrow, an onion eating contest, and a stolen mascot — and yes, each adventure gets more crazy and more wild as the movie goes on.
The Slumber Party is a great coming of age story that is important for all young girls to watch as it teaches important lessons and delivers a true to life female friendship on screen.
The Slumber Party premieres July 27 on Disney Channel, streaming July 28 on Disney+.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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About The Slumber Party
“The Slumber Party” depicts the hilarious aftermath of a sleepover birthday party hypnotism gone wrong as best friends Megan and Paige, along with soon-to-be step-sister Veronica, wake up with absolutely no memory of the night before.
Now they must retrace their steps to find missing birthday girl Anna Maria…and explain why there’s a flock of baby ducks in the bathtub, what happened to Megan’s left eyebrow, and why she’s wearing unattainable hottie Jake Ramirez’s signature black hoodie.
The Slumber Party premieres July 27 on Disney Channel, streaming July 28 on Disney+.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.